Little Giants (1994)

By Greg
Score: 6/10

Since all of America, okay not all but most foam at the mouth about football and Rudy still fresh in mind, I found another football film to watch.

Little Giants is the bold story of two brothers, Danny (Rick Moranis) and Kevin O'Shea (Ed O'Neill), competing against each other since their childhood mostly with Kevin being a star football player and Danny, keeping the name O'Shea alive in the small town of Urbania, Ohio. (Yes, an Ohio film)

Where Kevin, married with a successful used car lot, and single father Danny has his own towing/garage. Danny has always been overshadowed by the more superior brother, but its O'Shea all the way.

So this sets the stage for the film, Kevin is the coach for the best pee wee football team around, Danny's daughter, Becky "Icehouse" O'Shea (Shawna Waldon) wants to be on the the team and is declined. Danny wants this chance to show his brother that he too knows football.

So he starts his team with Becky as the star player. Knowing that the other kids, that failed to make the team at tryouts would be on his team. So he recruits any and all second banana type kids, quite the rag-tag bunch of misfit kids that fit all the cliched stereotypes; fat kid: check, Asian nerdy kid: check, super skinny small kid with heart of a lion: double check. Now the training commences with several fun filled montages. Kevin and Danny's rift that lasted for years comes to a head. Knowing that there teams will have to compete against each other, will it tear them apart or bring them closer as brothers. There is a fun chase/race for an elite kid, with Danny driving a souped-up go-kart and Kevin in his prestigious Corvette. The training sequences are a delight especially for an child or adult that was awkward (myself) when it came to sports. Inevitably, Becky starts doubting her role as a football player due to the fact she is a girl. Being teased about being "one of the guys" she hangs up her jersey, even sparks a romance with Junior Floyd (Devon Sawa) the star player for Danny's team. So Becky decides she'll be a cheerleader to show her spirit for her dad and uncle. Once the big game commences between Kevin's Cowboys and Danny's Giants, the outcome is pretty much a given highly predictable. Alas, it all unfolds in family film fun style.

It is a light-hearted family film, fun to watch and giggle at the stupid jokes. I plan to share it with my kids when the get a little older, to I hold it close, no. But if its on television or see it on the DVR. We'll watch it and get the necessary laughs from it.

Plus real-life football stars give aid and positivity to the underdogs, even legendary coach and video game star, John Madden makes an appearance.

Starring: Rick Moranis, Ed O'Neill, Shawna Waldon and Devon Sawa

Directed by: Duwayne Dunham

Budget/Gross: N/A /  $19,288,821

IMDB Rating: 5.8/10

Tomatometer: 40% Critics and 62% Audience liked it