Metacritic Film

Something to Cheer About

Starring Hallie Bryant, Ray Crowe, Willie Merriweather, and Oscar Robertson

MPAA RATING: Not Rated

Screen Media Films
Documentary
90 minutes | B/W / Color
USA
Released In Theaters April 27, 2007

This documentary profiles the legendary Crispus Attucks Tigers with first hand accounts from players, coaches, and community members.

WRITTEN BY
Betsy Blankenbaker

DIRECTED BY
Betsy Blankenbaker

Overall Metascore

This is a weighted, normalized average of all individual scores given by critics, on a scale of 0 (worst) to 100 (best).

43 / 100

Critic Reviews

60 The Hollywood Reporter
The film, which thankfully doesn't wear out its welcome with a scant running time of 64 minutes, is fairly prosaic stylistically. But the admittedly rough-hewn footage of the games is thrilling, and the pride and self-respect instilled in the players by their success is still evident today.
50 Los Angeles Times Sam Adams
The outline of a great story, but it never fills in the gaps.
50 TV Guide
Heartfelt but only intermittently interesting documentary.
50 Village Voice Robert Wilonsky
Betsy Blankenbaker's doc doesn't possess the kinetic charge of the tale itself; it's too reliant on talking heads and faded photos. Cheer feels amateurish for a generation raised on sports films. Shoulda been a slam-dunk too.
50 Chicago Tribune
Routine cinema but rich history.
50 Washington Post
This is a modest documentary, actually made in 2002 but only now gaining national release, which celebrates Attucks and that particular team, but most important Coach Crowe, by all accounts a remarkable man.
30 Chicago Reader
A dearth of game footage and a wealth of inspirational platitudes contribute to the sense of a powerful tale having already faded into yellowed newspaper clippings.

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