Gridiron Gang
Encyclopedia
Gridiron Gang is a 2006 American
film starring Dwayne Johnson, Xzibit
, L. Scott Caldwell
, and Kevin Dunn
. It was filmed in California
at Camp Kilpatrick
, a Los Angeles
County Probation
Department facility. It is loosely based on the true story of the Kilpatrick Mustangs
during the 1990 season. It was released on September 15, 2006 by Columbia Pictures
.
team so the kids can feel like they're part of something. Porter believes that football will teach the teenage inmates what it takes to be responsible, mature, and winners. He picks out a few kids in the room that he feels will benefit from this program and requires that they practice with him the following day. He states to his new team, the Kilpatrick Mustangs, "You are all losers, But if you stick with the program you could all be winners at the end." Two of the teens do not get along because they are from rival gangs. Willie Weathers (Jade Yorker
) is from the 88’s and Kelvin Owens (David V. Thomas) is from the 95’s. The first game is against the best team in the league, Barrington. The game starts out somewhat positive for the Mustangs, as they recover a fumble on the first drive, but things quickly turn. They are demolished by Barrington, losing by 38 points. After starting 0-2, the Mustangs start winning games as they learn to work together. Kelvin and Willie finally shake hands when they win a game by one touchdown
after Kelvin makes a big block for Willie. Near the end of the season, the Mustangs are headed for the playoff
s. They are getting more publicity and more fans along the way.
One of Willie’s 88 gang mates Free stops by the field. He realizes that Kelvin is a 95. Free and Kelvin get into a fight, and Free shoots Kelvin in the shoulder. As Free prepares to put another bullet in Kelvin's head, Willie runs toward Free and tackles him to the ground to save Kelvin. Free is shocked that Willie helped Kelvin and not him. The police show up, and Free runs off. He fires at the responding officers who fire in return, killing him. Although Kelvin survives the attack, he will not be able to play in the finals. In the next game, against Barrington, the Mustangs go into the half down 14-0. Willie gives a motivational speech, and they go out and beat Barrington on the last play of the game. It is revealed in the narration that they lost the championship game, but no one called them losers. A few months later, Sean's football method is officially made part of the program.
Nearly all the kids who were on the Mustangs are now somewhere doing good things. Willie Weathers is playing football for a top boarding school, Kelvin Owens is playing football for Washington High, Kenny Bates is living with his mother, Junior Palaita is working for a furniture company. Unfortunately, five are back in jail, and Bug Wendall was killed in a drive-by shooting
in Compton.
Cinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
film starring Dwayne Johnson, Xzibit
Xzibit
Alvin Nathaniel Joiner , better known by his stage name Xzibit , is an American rapper, actor, and television host. He is known as the host of the MTV show Pimp My Ride, which brought him mainstream success...
, L. Scott Caldwell
L. Scott Caldwell
Laverne Scott Caldwell is an American actress known for her role as Rose on Lost.This Chicago native started her career in 1978 as a member of the famed Negro Ensemble Company, making her Broadway debut two years later in the Tony Award nominated play Home...
, and Kevin Dunn
Kevin Dunn
Kevin Dunn is an American actor who has appeared in supporting roles in a number of films since the 1980s. His roles include Colonel Hicks in the 1998 version of Godzilla, Sam Witwicky's father in Transformers, and Oscar Galvin, the primary antagonist in the 2010 action thriller...
. It was filmed in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
at Camp Kilpatrick
Camp Kilpatrick
Camp Kilpatrick is a juvenile detention camp located in the Santa Monica Mountains of western Los Angeles County, California. The camp is known for its sports program...
, a Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
County Probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
Department facility. It is loosely based on the true story of the Kilpatrick Mustangs
Kilpatrick Mustangs
The Kilpatrick Mustangs are an American Football team consisting of juvenile detainees at Camp Kilpatrick in Los Angeles, California. The story of the team has been documented on film many times, including Gridiron Gang ....
during the 1990 season. It was released on September 15, 2006 by Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
.
Plot
Sean Porter (Dwayne Johnson) works at Kilpatrick Detention Center in Los Angeles. Frustrated at not being able to help the kids get away from their problems in life, such as street gangs and drug dealings, he decides to create a footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team so the kids can feel like they're part of something. Porter believes that football will teach the teenage inmates what it takes to be responsible, mature, and winners. He picks out a few kids in the room that he feels will benefit from this program and requires that they practice with him the following day. He states to his new team, the Kilpatrick Mustangs, "You are all losers, But if you stick with the program you could all be winners at the end." Two of the teens do not get along because they are from rival gangs. Willie Weathers (Jade Yorker
Jade Yorker
Jade Yorker is an American actor of film and television. He grew up in Manalapan, New Jersey. He attended the Freehold Performing Arts Center for High School, which furthered his training. Among his TV credits are Cosby, Third Watch and Law & Order...
) is from the 88’s and Kelvin Owens (David V. Thomas) is from the 95’s. The first game is against the best team in the league, Barrington. The game starts out somewhat positive for the Mustangs, as they recover a fumble on the first drive, but things quickly turn. They are demolished by Barrington, losing by 38 points. After starting 0-2, the Mustangs start winning games as they learn to work together. Kelvin and Willie finally shake hands when they win a game by one touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
after Kelvin makes a big block for Willie. Near the end of the season, the Mustangs are headed for the playoff
Playoff
The playoffs, postseason, or finals of a sports league are a game or series of games played after the regular season by the top competitors, usually but not always with a single-elimination system, to determine the league champion or a similar accolade.In the U.S...
s. They are getting more publicity and more fans along the way.
One of Willie’s 88 gang mates Free stops by the field. He realizes that Kelvin is a 95. Free and Kelvin get into a fight, and Free shoots Kelvin in the shoulder. As Free prepares to put another bullet in Kelvin's head, Willie runs toward Free and tackles him to the ground to save Kelvin. Free is shocked that Willie helped Kelvin and not him. The police show up, and Free runs off. He fires at the responding officers who fire in return, killing him. Although Kelvin survives the attack, he will not be able to play in the finals. In the next game, against Barrington, the Mustangs go into the half down 14-0. Willie gives a motivational speech, and they go out and beat Barrington on the last play of the game. It is revealed in the narration that they lost the championship game, but no one called them losers. A few months later, Sean's football method is officially made part of the program.
Nearly all the kids who were on the Mustangs are now somewhere doing good things. Willie Weathers is playing football for a top boarding school, Kelvin Owens is playing football for Washington High, Kenny Bates is living with his mother, Junior Palaita is working for a furniture company. Unfortunately, five are back in jail, and Bug Wendall was killed in a drive-by shooting
Drive-by shooting
A drive-by shooting is a form of hit-and-run tactic, a personal attack carried out by an individual or individuals from a moving or momentarily stopped vehicle without use of headlights to avoid being noticed. It often results in bystanders being shot instead of, or as well as, the intended target...
in Compton.
Cast
- Dwayne Johnson as Sean Porter
- XzibitXzibitAlvin Nathaniel Joiner , better known by his stage name Xzibit , is an American rapper, actor, and television host. He is known as the host of the MTV show Pimp My Ride, which brought him mainstream success...
as Malcolm Moore - Leon RippyLeon RippyLeon Rippy is an American actor.-Life and career:He has worked with Roland Emmerich on seven movies including: Moon 44 , Eye of the Storm , Universal Soldier , Stargate , The Thirteenth Floor , The Patriot , Eight Legged Freaks and also had a role in the 2004...
as Paul Higa - Kevin DunnKevin DunnKevin Dunn is an American actor who has appeared in supporting roles in a number of films since the 1980s. His roles include Colonel Hicks in the 1998 version of Godzilla, Sam Witwicky's father in Transformers, and Oscar Galvin, the primary antagonist in the 2010 action thriller...
as Ted Dexter - L. Scott CaldwellL. Scott CaldwellLaverne Scott Caldwell is an American actress known for her role as Rose on Lost.This Chicago native started her career in 1978 as a member of the famed Negro Ensemble Company, making her Broadway debut two years later in the Tony Award nominated play Home...
as Bobbi Porter - Jade YorkerJade YorkerJade Yorker is an American actor of film and television. He grew up in Manalapan, New Jersey. He attended the Freehold Performing Arts Center for High School, which furthered his training. Among his TV credits are Cosby, Third Watch and Law & Order...
as Willie Weathers - David V. Thomas as Kelvin Owens
- Setu Taase as Junior Palaita
- Trever O'BrienTrever O'BrienTrever O'Brien is an American actor from Newport Beach, California and younger brother of actor Austin O'Brien.-Life and career:...
as Kenny Bates - Brandon Mychal Smith as Bug Wendal
- Jurnee SmollettJurnee SmollettJurnee Diana Smollett-Bell is an American actress. She is best known for the role of Jess Merriweather on the critically acclaimed television series Friday Night Lights...
as Danyelle Rollins - Michael J. PaganMichael J. PaganMichael Jamon Pagan is an American actor and screenwriter.-Biography:Pagan attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School in Long Beach and West Los Angeles College in Los Angeles. He has received training at the Tasha Smith Acting Studio and the Ivanna Chubbuck Studio...
as Roger Weathers - Jamal MixonJamal MixonJamal Mixon is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Ernie Klump, Jr. in the film The Nutty Professor. He is the younger brother of actor Jerod Mixon....
as Jamal Evans - Danny Martinez as Miguel Perez
- Omari HardwickOmari HardwickOmari Lateef Hardwick is an American actor, known for his roles in the TV series Saved and Dark Blue, and in the movies Spike Lee's Miracle at St...
as Free - Mary MaraMary MaraMary Mara is an American TV and film actress from Syracuse, New York known for her recurring role as Inspector Bryn Carson on Nash Bridges and primetime dramas ER and Law & Order. She also appeared in Mr. Saturday Night....
as Mrs. Bates - Michael JaceMichael JaceMichael Jace is an American actor. He starred in State of Play with Russell Crowe. He is best known for his role as the bisexual Los Angeles Police Officer Julien Lowe in the FX drama The Shield...
as Mr. Jones - Anna Maria HorsfordAnna Maria HorsfordAnna Maria Horsford is an American television and film actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as Thelma Frye on the sitcom Amen, her role as Craig Jones' mother, Betty Jones, in the 1995 comedy, Friday and the 2002 comedy Friday After Next and as security guard Dee on The Wayans Bros.,...
as Sharon Weathers - Dan Martin as Terrell Rollins
- Six Reasons as C-Co