Tribeca 2021: 12 Mighty Orphans Review

This will be one of several reviews from this year’s Tribeca film Festival. To follow our coverage, click here.

12 Mighty Orphans tells the true story of a Texas orphanage that competes in high school football and makes it to the State Championship. They are lead by Rusty Russell (Wilson), a WWI veteran-turned-football coach whose innovations within the game allow for the strengths and talents of his team to overcome each opponent they face. This is a straightforward underdog story, complete with voiceover narration by one of its characters, that hits all of the beats and tropes of a traditional sports drama but even as it dangerously wavers close to the line of cheesiness it nimbly avoids becoming parody or even overtly ridiculous due to its strong performances.

It is the film’s heart and narrative that helps elevate it out of these stereotypical traps and while they are not always successful they still assist in telling an interesting story centered around real-life figures that were given an opportunity to surpass expectations that society placed upon them just for existing. 12 Mighty Orphans does an excellent job of making this point known as well as how their development on the football field impacts who they become as men and how they will go on to impact that same society that wrote them off.

Wilson, as Russell, delivers a grounded and nuanced performance as the Texas football coach. While most of his dialogue revolves around language and interactions that audiences are familiar with in terms of similar movies, he brings a sense of genuine empathy to his character as he is fighting a battle for his team on several fronts. Sheen, as Russell’s right -hand and assistant coach Doc Hall, is not as strong, relying mostly on tropes. Aside from them, Wayne Knight, as Frank Wynn, does a good job as the villain who in any lesser hands could be construed as cartoonish. Additionally, the team itself is populated by strong performances with Jacob Lofland and Jake Austin Walker standing out as Snoggs and Hardy Brown respectively.

Overall, 12 Mighty Orphans doesn’t seek a new approach with the tried and true sports drama formula. Through that method, they are able to portray a moment in time where the underdogs deserve their moment in the sun, and from this, they evolve into true heroes both on the field and beyond. It’s a story that one can easily predict but the performances, cinematography, and script help keep the audience’s attention from start to finish.

still courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

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