You know those sports movies where the dedicated, father-figure coach takes a ragtag bunch and transforms them into winners against the odds? Well that’s Undefeated, only the difference here is that what you’re watching is a documentary. It actually happened. There’s the pre-game speeches, the come-from-behind win, the talented player who needs to get his grades up, the one with anger issues… pretty much every sporting film trope is present and correct. As a result, it can’t help but come across as somewhat familiar, even if Daniel Lindsay and T.J. Martin’s doc distinguishes itself by virtue of being the real thing. Some of the non-football subplots are less engaging and one or two scenes feel like they’re been manipulated for maximum tear-jerkery (see the surprise, last-minute scholarship), but Coach Courtney is a very watchable central figure, especially when he’s imparting his various life-lessons.
