Parents Television Council Reviews

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Jasmine Plummer is a young girl who struggles with issues of self-confidence. Her father abandoned her at a young age and her schoolmates tease her; but when her uncle Curtis discovers that Jasmine has a talent for football, he urges her to join the middle-school team, the Minden Browns. With Curtis’ help, Jasmine overcomes the sexist resistance of her teammates, leads the Browns to the Pop Warner Super Bowl…and inspires the entire town of Minden.

There is no sex or graphic violence and little negative behavior in The Longshots. Some minor roughhousing and tackling takes place during the football games; and when Jasmine first joins the Browns her male teammates resent her presence, tackling her and shoving her to the ground painfully. Jasmine retaliates by hurling a football directly into one boy’s crotch, causing him to collapse to the ground in pain. Throughout the movie Jasmine is bullied by the school’s “cool kids” and cheerleaders, and at first is treated in a sexist manner by her teammates, though she soon earns their respect. In one scene Curtis and Jasmine playfully drink soda and belch at one another.

The Longshots does feature language realistic to a school football team. At various times the coaches exclaim “God,” “Jesus,” and “for Christ’s sake.” Curtis frequently says “damn,” and several teen players use phrases like “get the hell out” and “kick your ass.” When Jasmine is in position to receive the hiked ball, her teammate worries that she will touch his “ping pongs;” and Jasmine’s bullying classmates mock her last name by calling her “dukie girl.”

Based on a true story, The Longshots is tremendously inspirational. Curtis helps Jasmine to come out of her shell and excel, telling her, “If you are good at something, you owe it to yourself to pursue it.” Jasmine in turn encourages the unemployed Curtis to clean himself up, accept a position as team coach and even ask her teacher on a date. The power of sports to bolster confidence and unite a community is shown when the economically depressed community of Minden gets behind Jasmine and the Browns, and is inspired to make improvements to the town. With messages like “if you have heart, you have all you need” and its stress on the importance of self-confidence, pulling together and hard work, The Longshots is a feel-good movie for teens and families alike.

Because of its emphasis on family-friendly values, the Parents Television Council is proud to award The Longshots with the PTC Seal of Approval^TM. Because of its sometimes adult language, the PTC does not recommend this movie for viewers under age 13.

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