Gridiron Gang is the second football flick to open in the last month, but this Rock vehicle isn't nearly as rousing or effective as Disney's Invincible. Odd considering this movie feels more important at the surface.

Gridiron Gang is the true story of Sean Porter, an officer from a youth correctional facility who would use football to turn inner city kids away from gang culture.

Gridiron Gang is a well intentioned affair that proudly wears it's heart on it's sleeve. Sadly though, the movie is pretty heavy handed. Yes, the problems this flick addresses are real and yes, it's admirable that one man would try to make a difference, but as a narrative Gridiron Gang feels preachy and, at times, extremely underdeveloped.

The Rock is entertaining, and to see him take on a more dramatic role is interesting. As much as I like him, he does stumble in the more emotional scenes. Clearly, this ex-wrestler appears a little stiff and uncomfortable when asked to tear up. He's not quite seasoned enough to pull off these weighty moments. He is, however, terrific when he's yelling and riling up the troops, and during one sequence, we even get to see this mammoth don a football uniform. How would you like to see the Rock coming at you full speed on the field? Not I.

The young actors who make up the team are solid enough. In particular, I was impressed by Jade Yorker who plays Willie Weathers, one of the team's star players. Looking like a tiny Andre from Outkast, Yorker hits the right notes as a young man learning to channel his rage into something positive. Setu Taase is also effective as Junior Palaita, a new father out to better himself for the good of his wife and child.

Gridiron Gang was directed by Phil Joanou, a film maker poised for great things in the late 80's and early 90's. He made the underrated high school comedy Three O' Clock High as well as the U2 tour film Rattle and Hum. He followed those entries up with the stunning crime thriller State of Grace starring Sean Penn. Then, he more or less disappeared into obscurity after making a few films that hardly anyone saw (Final Analysis, Heaven's Prisoners, etc.). Gridiron Gang marks Joanou's triumphant return to the movies, and for what it's worth, his direction is solid. The football sequences are well staged, and the film is edgy. Sadly though, the screenplay doesn't really measure up to Joanou's considerable talent.

While Gridiron Gang has heftier issues than the recent Invincible, it isn't as effective of a film. I would have preferred a documentary about Porter's program. That would have been much more powerful. And in fact, the strongest moments in Gridiron Gang occur during the end credits as we are treated to stock footage of the real Sean Porter in action.

In the end, Gridiron Gang isn't without it's inspirational moments, and it offers up a side of The Rock that we really haven't seen before. But as a narrative, it's heavy handed mechanics undermine it's overall importance. I hope the DVD release offers up more stock footage, because I could have watched that stuff for hours.