The best scenes in director Michael Mailer's underdog Ivy League collegiate rowing drama "Heart of Champions," starring Michael Shannon, focus on the spartan training sequences. Like a dysfunctional family drama, where all squabbles are eventually resolved to everybody's satisfaction, sports movies chronicle a coach's herculean efforts to forge unity among bickering athletes and fuse them into a winning team. Watching quasi-villainous actor Michael Shannon as the heroic coach struggle to defuse infighting between teammates while stoking their competitive spirit is the most entertaining aspect of this opus. Sadly, after the coach convinces his two top scullers to set aside their enmity, he finds himself in hot water with an irate father who argues that his son is poised to forfeit a once-in-a-lifetime chance to make the Olympic rowing team.
"Heart of Champions" could have been an unforgettable, feel-good sports yarn had it confined itself to the trials and tribulations of the team. Unfortunately, Mailer and rookie scenarist Vokin Gjaja, a former collegiate sculler himself, pad out the running time with the team's amorous adventures. Incredibly, the tragic outcome of one jealous rivalry virtually tanks the team and erodes Coach Murphy's authority. Edd Lukas's agile widescreen cinematography adds a sense of spectacle to the brawny rowing scenes, especially when his drone cameras capture the scullers from on high in stunning long shots.
This coming-of-age sports drama lurches off to a promising start. The year is 1999. A struggling Ivy League college-Beeston University-grabs an impressive early lead against an aggressive line-up of competitors at the National Collegiate Rowing Championship. Just when it seems like they are poised to cream their age-old rival Harvard, the Beeston boys squander their lead and finish last! The university fires the coach and hires an alumnus, middle-aged Jack Murphy (Mike Shannon of "Man of Steel"), to rehab Beeston's lackluster rowing program. Of course, Murphy realizes this task is easier said than done, and he rocks the boat that nobody wants rocked. Murphy's longtime friend, Mike Singleton (David James Elliott of "Trumbo"), landed Jack the job and hopes his influence will benefit his ambitious son, Alex (Alexander Ludwig of "The Hunger Games"), who dreams about rowing in the Olympics.
Predictably, Murphy refuses to coddle Alex. He knows he can turn the team around but not with Alex at the helm. Naturally, tempers flare when Murphy alters the line-up, and John (Alex MacNicoll of "The Rising Hawk") becomes the new captain. John has his teammates practice wearing blindfolds and it enhances both their speed and timing. Were this not annoying enough, John wins over Alex's girlfriend Sara (Lilly Krug of "Every Breath You Take"), which spawns even greater acrimony in Alex's jaundiced eyes. Meantime, under Murphy's brusque boot camp coaching and John's captaincy, the Beeston rowing team shapes up. Although Murphy succeeds in turning around a floundering program, neither Mike nor Alex are sympathetic to the cause. Mike threatens to replace Jack if he doesn't reinstate Alex as team captain. Nevertheless, University President Jack Harris (Lance E. Nichols of "Contraband") intervenes on Jack's behalf and warns Mike the alumni have raised questions about his decision.
"Heart of Champions" boasts a sterling cast. Gimlet-eyed Michael Shannon dominates every scene with his hypnotic presence. He reminisces about his dark past in the Vietnam war and wrestles with survivor's guilt. Sometimes, not even the good guys can buck a stacked deck. You'll love to hate Alexander Ludwig as Alex, a flaxen-haired, over-privileged, pretty boy prima donna. He is twice as treacherous as his devious dad. Watch how Alex sabotages John and Sara's future. As starry-eyed John, Alex MacNicoll bristles with 'born yesterday' naivety. MacNicoll brings so much integrity and good will to the team you sense his breakdown is ordained. As a scholarship transfer student, Charles Melton of "Riverdale" steps up at the last moment to salvage the team. No stranger to adversity, he lost both his parents and his girlfriend in a tragic auto accident when they were driving to see him row. The lachrymose relationship between Chris and Nish (Ash Santos of "Joe Bell") amounts to a histrionic, four-handkerchief weepathon. Ultimately, the team vindicates Coach Murphy, but Mailer's film ends without Sara confronting Alex about his duplicity.
For the record, this predictable, 119-minute, PG-13 rated potboiler was lensed on location at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge back in November and December of 2019. Sophomore director Michael Mailer creates considerable gusto during the team's muscular rowing scenes that impart vibrance to the action. Nevertheless, when our scullers ship oars and set foot on dry land, "Heart of Champions" convulses into cardiac arrest from too many soapy subplots and never recovers its momentum.
"Heart of Champions" could have been an unforgettable, feel-good sports yarn had it confined itself to the trials and tribulations of the team. Unfortunately, Mailer and rookie scenarist Vokin Gjaja, a former collegiate sculler himself, pad out the running time with the team's amorous adventures. Incredibly, the tragic outcome of one jealous rivalry virtually tanks the team and erodes Coach Murphy's authority. Edd Lukas's agile widescreen cinematography adds a sense of spectacle to the brawny rowing scenes, especially when his drone cameras capture the scullers from on high in stunning long shots.
This coming-of-age sports drama lurches off to a promising start. The year is 1999. A struggling Ivy League college-Beeston University-grabs an impressive early lead against an aggressive line-up of competitors at the National Collegiate Rowing Championship. Just when it seems like they are poised to cream their age-old rival Harvard, the Beeston boys squander their lead and finish last! The university fires the coach and hires an alumnus, middle-aged Jack Murphy (Mike Shannon of "Man of Steel"), to rehab Beeston's lackluster rowing program. Of course, Murphy realizes this task is easier said than done, and he rocks the boat that nobody wants rocked. Murphy's longtime friend, Mike Singleton (David James Elliott of "Trumbo"), landed Jack the job and hopes his influence will benefit his ambitious son, Alex (Alexander Ludwig of "The Hunger Games"), who dreams about rowing in the Olympics.
Predictably, Murphy refuses to coddle Alex. He knows he can turn the team around but not with Alex at the helm. Naturally, tempers flare when Murphy alters the line-up, and John (Alex MacNicoll of "The Rising Hawk") becomes the new captain. John has his teammates practice wearing blindfolds and it enhances both their speed and timing. Were this not annoying enough, John wins over Alex's girlfriend Sara (Lilly Krug of "Every Breath You Take"), which spawns even greater acrimony in Alex's jaundiced eyes. Meantime, under Murphy's brusque boot camp coaching and John's captaincy, the Beeston rowing team shapes up. Although Murphy succeeds in turning around a floundering program, neither Mike nor Alex are sympathetic to the cause. Mike threatens to replace Jack if he doesn't reinstate Alex as team captain. Nevertheless, University President Jack Harris (Lance E. Nichols of "Contraband") intervenes on Jack's behalf and warns Mike the alumni have raised questions about his decision.
"Heart of Champions" boasts a sterling cast. Gimlet-eyed Michael Shannon dominates every scene with his hypnotic presence. He reminisces about his dark past in the Vietnam war and wrestles with survivor's guilt. Sometimes, not even the good guys can buck a stacked deck. You'll love to hate Alexander Ludwig as Alex, a flaxen-haired, over-privileged, pretty boy prima donna. He is twice as treacherous as his devious dad. Watch how Alex sabotages John and Sara's future. As starry-eyed John, Alex MacNicoll bristles with 'born yesterday' naivety. MacNicoll brings so much integrity and good will to the team you sense his breakdown is ordained. As a scholarship transfer student, Charles Melton of "Riverdale" steps up at the last moment to salvage the team. No stranger to adversity, he lost both his parents and his girlfriend in a tragic auto accident when they were driving to see him row. The lachrymose relationship between Chris and Nish (Ash Santos of "Joe Bell") amounts to a histrionic, four-handkerchief weepathon. Ultimately, the team vindicates Coach Murphy, but Mailer's film ends without Sara confronting Alex about his duplicity.
For the record, this predictable, 119-minute, PG-13 rated potboiler was lensed on location at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge back in November and December of 2019. Sophomore director Michael Mailer creates considerable gusto during the team's muscular rowing scenes that impart vibrance to the action. Nevertheless, when our scullers ship oars and set foot on dry land, "Heart of Champions" convulses into cardiac arrest from too many soapy subplots and never recovers its momentum.