Directed by: The Erwin Brothers
Screenplay by: Jon Erwin & David Aaron Cohen and Jon Gunn
Cast: Zachary Levi, Anna Paquin, and Dennis Quaid
Plot: The story of NFL MVP and Hall of Fame quarterback, Kurt Warner, who went from stocking shelves at a supermarket to becoming an American Football star.

I grew up loving the National Football League and two names that made me love it were Dan Marino and Kurt Warner. Today, I share my review of American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story.

If you are a football fan we all know the story of Kurt Warner and some of you that aren’t football fans might know it from his bagging grocery to Super Bowl champion story we got leading up to his Super Bowl win. I was somewhat unsure of how they would make the film different or unique for those who did follow his story.

I thought the film’s emotional weight would rely heavily on Kurt and his story, but they chose to put that weight on Brenda Warner’s story, showing us that we wouldn’t have the Kurt Warner journey without it.

Zachary Levi and Anna Paquin play Kurt and Brenda Warner and they do a great job of bringing these two amazing people to life. I was impressed with Paquin and how she brought a sincere and raw approach to Brenda’s story. I didn’t know the obstacles Brenda faced and the emotional turmoil she had to battle while being a single mom. Levi surprised me with how grounded he was in the role of Kurt. I am a massive Kurt Warner fan and several times I got lost in who I was looking at on the screen. I would love to see more from Levi in these more serious roles.

American Underdog has its cliches at times that you expect, but the Erwin Brothers do a great job of blending the comedic and emotional moments. If you know who Kurt and Brenda Warner are, you will love this movie, and if you only knew a little about Kurt and Brenda Warner, you will love this movie. It’s an emotional journey filled with hope, love and compassion.

The Verdict: B

Check out my interview with star of the film Zachary Levi below.