CROOKED ARROWS REVIEW
I personally believe that Crooked Arrows is the best lacrosse movie out there. Crooked Arrows came out in 2012 and was not a common movie to be shown in theaters. Long story short, the movie tells the story of a Native American high school lacrosse team that is fighting to overcome diversity. While doing so the team also loves to embrace their cultural heritage to help them compete at a high level. Although it takes some time for them to get there. The main character is Joe Logan, who is the coach of Crosse High School. Joe runs a successful casino and wants to sell off part of his ancestral land to buy an even bigger one, but needs approval from his parents first. They tell him that they will approve but only under one condition: examining his spirit by coaching this lacrosse team. He is a former lacrosse star but not too thrilled to have this position. Not to mention, Joe is on the struggle bus because he is an outsider in the community. He does not take his job seriously in the beginning. He is really trying to integrate discipline and structure to elevate the team’s performance. He also wants the team to have good pride and unity but tends to push that off to the side. Joe, the coach, transforms from having the mindset of only winning to someone who understands the importance of preserving cultural identity. In the end Joe becomes a great positive leader to these boys that they will remember forever. Brandon Routh was the actor of Joe and does an exceptional job. One thing that I enjoyed about this movie was the efforts it had in showcasing the Native American culture. The movie addresses many realistic challenges faced by the community such as economic hardships. I love how the players on the lacrosse team all had a sense of unity as they rediscovered their heritage and culture through the game of lacrosse. The scenes of them actually playing lacrosse were great representations of how fast-paced and physical the game of lacrosse actually is. The movie definitely shows the intensity the game brings and conveys it in the perfect way allowing people who are unfamiliar with the game to understand. This movie has a pretty predictable trajectory but still has moments where you are sitting on the edge of your chair. Just like many other sports movies, the team starts off bad and gradually gets better. Something I would change about this movie would definitely be adding more… It’s good and keeps you engaged but needs more. Overall this movie does a great job of intertwining culture, sports, and personal growth all together. Those are all reasons as to why Crooked Arrows is a standout lacrosse movie.
