The Underdoggs

 

Snoop Dogg plays Jaycen "Two Js" Jennings, a washed-up former NFL receiver sentenced to community service coaching a foul-mouthed pee-wee football team in Long Beach, California, in the R-rated sports comedy The Underdoggs. The film, which was directed by Charles Stone III (Drumline), adheres to the well-known underdog formula: a selfish coach gains humility while turning a motley crew of kids into champions. However, it stands out for its unrelenting use of profanity and adult humor, with the f-word occurring more than 200 times and kids regularly using foul language. While the young cast members give surprisingly natural performances despite the crude material they're given, Snoop Dogg essentially plays an extension of his established persona, bringing a laid-back charisma and genuine chemistry with co-stars Mike Epps (as his assistant coach Kareem) and Tika Sumpter (as his high school sweetheart Cherise).

"Generic," "half-baked," and "a complete waste of time and budget" are some of the most common criticisms of the film from critics and football fans alike. While some hailed the film as "endearing" and commended its poignant message of impoverished adolescents discovering excellence despite their circumstances, many pointed out that the children's frequent profanity soon becomes tiresome and comes across as "cheap laughs" and "low hanging fruit." Given its R-rating for frequent language, drug use, and sexual themes, the movie's promotion as a family-friendly sports picture is deceptive and creates tonal uncertainty regarding its intended demographic. For Snoop Dogg fans who enjoy his unique brand of humor, The Underdoggs ultimately serves as the best "turn your brain off" streaming diversion. However, it doesn't contribute anything new to the sports genre and misses the opportunity to leverage its real-life inspiration—Snoop's actual Youth Football League—leading viewers wishing they were watching The Mighty Ducks or Little Giants instead.

Staff:

Directed by: Charles Stone III

Written by: Danny Segal and Isaac Schamis

Produced by: Kenya Barris, Snoop Dogg, Constance Schwartz-Morini, Mychelle Deschamps, and Jonathan Glickman

Starring: Snoop Dogg, Tika Sumpter, Andrew Schulz, Mike Epps, Kal Penn, Kandi Burruss, and George Lopez

Cinematography: Mitchell Amundsen

Edited by: Paul Millspaugh

Music by: Joseph Shirley

Production companies: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, Khalabo Ink Society, Death Row Pictures, SMAC Productions, and Panoramic Media Company

Distributed by: Amazon MGM Studios

Release date: January 26, 2024

Running time: 96 minutes