Feel-good stories and sports often go hand in hand when it comes to filmmaking, and ‘Champions’ follows this formula with a comedic spin. Woody Harrelson stars as Marcus, a disgraced basketball coach that is going to need to sharpen his people skills to connect with his new team.

Based on the 2018 film, Campeones, a Spanish film, the heart and integrity of the story are faithfully carried over into an English version, and Director Bobby Farrelly has guided the cast to a heart-warming film.

Marcus, a man driven by his keen observational skill set, is found to be overstepping his bounds as an assistant coach that only sees numbers over players. An overabundance of self-indulgence behaviours drives away those that are close or have the potential to be close to him, and ultimately, lands him in a self-induced spiral. With a chance to keep himself out of jail, a court-ordered action sees Marcus become the new coach of ‘The Friends,’ a group of intellectually challenged friends, ready to compete in the Special Olympics.

The actors and actresses that comprised the team consisted of people with mental disabilities who are new to the film industry, a few returners, and a Special Olympics athlete to round out the team. James Day Keith played Benny, who previously competed in Basketball professionally, was a first-time actor, and his talents on the court were equally matched by his on-screen presence. Madison Tevlin, who has a successful following on social media, has covered modelling, singing, and film, and her comedic timing was impeccable throughout the film.

As for Marcus’ uphill battle, his coaching prowess was hampered by having to slow things down while learning to understand his players. While he only views his team as a disadvantage, however, when he was shown that his players didn’t see their situation as a disadvantage and were all following a fulfilling life, his approach was shifted.

His on and off again love interest, Alex, played by Kaitlin Olson, was also a contributing factor to how he approached the team, as his own intentions of winning were the driving force of his approach while he tried to play off as if he was a changed man.

Alex, being the sister of Johnny, played by Kevin Iannucci, was a stern reminder that she knew the real Marcus and as nice as he was being to the team, was still in it for himself. There was a bit of a clash in ideals as she was reminding him that it was more important for them to connect as a team as opposed to being winners, while simultaneously the team went on a massive winning streak. The excitement was upbeat and cheerful with plenty of on-screen athleticism, but it seemed to go against teaching Marcus a moral lesson in the process.

This is why the circle back in the third act felt all the more satisfying; the crash back to reality over the real-life ramifications of Marcus’ behaviour that landed him in community service had an unexpected turn. This also extended to Alex’s own struggles to let her brother become the independent person he always wanted to be. The two leading characters suddenly faced hard truths and the uncertainty of how to move forward pushed them into a more resolved version of themselves.

Champions balances humour, charm, and excitement in a nice little feel-good movie. The entire cast looked to have a blast and their infectious joy was a cheerful reminder that we can all be a champion to someone.

Written by: Shane Fletcher