The Mighty Macs

It's 1971. Cathy Rush is a woman ahead of her time ... and she's about to embark on an adventure for the ages. A new era is dawning in the country and in collegiate athletics, where a national champion will be crowned for the first time in women's basketball. As the coach of tiny Immaculata College, Cathy’s challenges are as imposing as the big-school teams her Macs will face. While it appears they don’t have a prayer, all hope is not lost. Will this pioneer buck cultural norms and spur her rag-tag team to unexpected heights? Or will her hard-driving ways create a wedge between the coach and everyone around her? (press release)

The Mighty Macs is a family-friendly film that is based on an actual event. I was given the opportunity to view this film in advance, and I have to admit that it did not live up to my hopes. Since I don't know which events were fictionalized and which are facts, I won't concentrate on many of the scenes that I thought too trite. There was one scene with nuns that made me think of Sister Act. I felt that I was seeing archetypes of nuns and students rather than people I could develop an interest in as individuals. I simply could not connect with these characters enough to care about their stories. (There was also a brief scene with the 2 coaches drinking beer and being hit on by a patron. It was a little humorous, but also had a  touch of innuendo spoken that might make a parent cringe if watching with a child.)

On a positive note, there was no nudity, violence, or bad language. It also was very true to the era. I was a teen during this time, and it is a reminder of the positive strides women have made in both the workforce and in athletics. I like that it is an honest look at that time in our history without any efforts to sugarcoat or rewrite events. For sports fans or for those who want to support films that are wholesome, uplifting, family and faith friendly, this is a good film to see. If I were grading it, I would give it a C.


Website: http://www.themightymacs.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/themightymacs

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/MightyMacsMovie

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/MightyMacs1

THE MIGHTY MACS stars Carla Gugino as Cathy Rush; David Boreanaz as her husband, NBA referee Ed Rush; Marley Shelton as Sister Sunday; and Academy Award and Tony Award winner Ellen Burstyn as Mother St. John. The film was written, directed, and produced by Tim Chambers. The film's executive producers are Pat Croce, the former president of the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers, and Vince Curran, a successful businessman and former basketball star at Penn. Curran and Chambers are founders and partners of Quaker Media.

I was provided an opportunity to review this film in hopes that I would mention in on my blog, and was not required to give it a good review. All opinions are strictly my own.