I’m not sure what to do with this trailer. Everything from the premise to the humorous style, the way the Chumbawumba stands out prominently “Tub rumble” – A one-shot marvel instantly recognizable by the “I’m Down” chorus – making this film look like something from the 1990s when “Cool Runnings” and Farrelly’s own early blockbuster hits the theaters. While a flick like this has a good chance of sinking into streaming obscurity right now, Focus Features does make a bid for its relevance with “Champions” as a movie that can be viewed “in theaters only.”
Looking back at Farrelly and his brother’s work, the aforementioned “Green Book” won the Academy Award for Best Picture. no stranger to discussion. The film competed against “Black Panther” and Spike Lee’s “BlacKkKlansman,” with some questioning whether a white director like Peter Farrelly (if you forgive the perpetual pun) was the right person to direct a film about its subject. Black experience.
I can see the same conversation between Bobby Farrelly, the “Champions” and people with mental disabilities.
Written by Mark Rizzo, “Champions” stars Kaitlin Olson, Ernie Hudson, Cheech Marin and Matt Cook. Here’s the official synopsis via Focus Features:
Woody Harrelson stars in the hilarious and heartwarming tale of a former minor league basketball coach who, after a series of missteps, is ordered by the court to lead a team of mentally challenged players. He soon realizes that despite his doubts, this team can go further than they could have imagined.
“Champions” hits theaters exclusively on Friday, March 24, 2023.