Crooked Arrows Shoots and Scores!

Drama

Rated PG-13‎

Starring Brandon Routh, Gil Birmingham, Crystall Allen, Chelsea Ricketts, Alexandra East

Running Time: 105 minutes

A mixed-blood Native American, Joe Logan, eager to modernize his reservation, must first prove himself to his father, the traditionalist Tribal Chairman, by rediscovering his spirit. He is tasked with coaching the reservation's high school lacrosse team which competes against the better equipped and better trained players of the elite Prep School League.

I have to premise this review by saying my son has played lacrosse for three years, and the more I learn about the sport, the more I love it. High-action agility combine with amazing stick skills and just enough physicality to make things interesting.

So when my son’s league sent around the Crooked Arrows trailer, I knew it was a “must-see.”

Lacrosse originated with the Native Americans near 1200 AD. The film centers on a down-on-their-luck reservation lacrosse team and the man roped into being their coach, a former lacrosse star himself who has turned away from the game to help run a casino.

Unfortunately, there are quite a few sports movie cliches here, and many of you can probably guess what happens, so I will not focus on the plot details. However, the lacrosse action scenes and the overriding Native American spirituality theme pushed aside my writerly cynic.

It is really a movie about not only honoring lacrosse’s Native American roots, but our roots as a country as well. About the Native Americans taking back their game and, as a result, getting respect back for their people, respect that is long overdue.

The movie is rated PG-13, which is spot-on. There are only a few iffy lines, but one has to do with a female body part, so I would recommend it for any child who has already had “the talk.” Otherwise, most families aged 11 and up would probably enjoy this feel-good sports movie.

In the film, one of the tribal elders tells the story of the crooked arrows. Each is different and does not fly straight or follow the same path, but eventually all find their own way. It’s really a valuable lesson, whether in life or on the lacrosse field.

Reviewed by Karen Wojcik Berner

CLICK HERE to find showtimes at Movie Tickets.com