American Underdog now available on Blu-ray – movie review
By Alexandra Heilbron on February 22, 2022 | 1 Comment
Kurt Warner (Zachary Levi) has always dreamed of becoming a professional NFL quarterback. As we learn at the beginning of the film, that’s a tough dream to make come true. But Kurt is determined. Although he’s a talented quarterback at the University of Northern Iowa, scouts for the NFL don’t draft him. When he does get a break and the Green Bay Packers show interest, he’s sent home after two days of training.
While still attending college, Kurt spots Brenda (Anna Paquin) at a country bar and falls in love at first sight. He gets a friend to teach him line dancing so he can impress her. He seems successful, but Brenda has baggage. She’s a divorcée with two small children, so gets in her car at the end of the evening and drives away without giving him her phone number.
A hopeless romantic, he finds out her address and walks three miles just to hand her a rose. While there, he immediately wins over her visually impaired son, Zack, and in time, Brenda begins to realize he’s a special person. In order to earn money to support his new family, Kurt takes a job stocking grocery shelves, although he doesn’t give up his dream of somehow getting back into the NFL.
He’s approached by Iowa Barnstormers coach Jim Foster, who invites him to play arena football. Worried that he’ll be considered a joke if he takes a position in a lesser league, Kurt turns him down at first. But money troubles that lead him and Brenda, along with the kids, to get stranded on a highway in the middle of a winter storm, forces him to rethink that offer.
Zachary Levi has the boy-next-door, wide-eyed quality needed to play someone as wholesome as Kurt Warner. He gives a solid and sincere portayal of the football star, alongside Anna Paquin, who turns in a strong performance as Kurt’s wife, Brenda.
Dennis Quaid completely reinvents himself to play the kindly St. Louis Rams coach Dick Vermeer, who believes in Kurt, despite the young man’s earlier setbacks. And stealing every scene he’s in, Hayden Zaller, who is visually impaired in real life, tugs at the audience’s heartstrings as Zack, Brenda’s oldest child.
The Blu-ray release has a wide selection of special features, including one focused on how Hayden Zaller became involved in the film and a behind-the-scenes featurette in which Kurt Warner and his wife Brenda discuss how eerily perfect Zachary Levi is at portraying Kurt. We also get a closeup look at the real life coaches and a selection of deleted scenes that give a little more insight into the story.
American Underdog is now available on Digital, 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and On Demand.
4K Ultra HD / Blu-ray / DVD / Digital Special Features
* Audio commentary with Directors Andrew and Jon Eerwan, and Producer Kevin Downes
* “Inspired” Featurette
* “Making the Cut” Featurette
* “A Coach’s Faith” Featurette
* “New to the Scene: Hayden Zaller” Featurette
* “Meet the Champion” Featurette
* “Behind the Game” Featurette
* “American Underdog: Behind the Story” Featurette
* Deleted Scenes with Optional Audio Commentary by Andrew Erwin
* Theatrical Trailer (on 4K and Blu-ray only)
4K Ultra HD Format: 216p Ultra High Definition, 16×9 (2.39:1) Presentation
Blu-ray Format: 1080p High Definition, 16×9 (2.39:1) Presentation
DVD Format: 16×9 (2.39:1) Presentation
If you’ve seen American Underdog and would like to review the film yourself, click here.
Great review, this movie was terrific and I’m looking forward to seeing it again, especially those bonus features.