The Winning Season

2009 Comedy Drama

Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award recipient James C. Strouse follows up his 2007 Sundance Film Festival favorite Grace Is Gone with this comedy drama about an alcoholic ex-basketball star who gets a second chance at success on the court when recruited by a local high school principal to coach the girl's varsity team. Bill (Sam Rockwell) used to sink hoops in the NBA, but that was before the bottle got the best of him. These days, Bill's more likely to be spotted bussing tables at the local diner than hustling up and down the court. Handed the reins on his daughter's basketball team by the school's principal, Bill seizes the opportunity to get back in the game and set things right.

Director: James C. Strouse

Starring: Sam Rockwell, Emma Roberts, Margo Martindale, Rob Corddry, Jessica Hecht

 14 Reviews

Reviews

  • Sam Rockwell's films are almost always worth watching be cause of this indie stalwart's taste in offbeat projects -- and his refusal to play to the audience's sympathy.

    Lou Lumenick - New York Post

    11 May 2013

  • With an invaluable assist from Sam Rockwell, hilarious and wounding as a deadbeat dad who lands a high school coaching gig, it's the rare inspirational movie with more than just winning or losing on its mind.

    Justin Chang - Variety

    11 May 2013

  • Often lacks momentum, especially in its early stretches. It is, however, a far more solid film than writer-director James C. Strouse's debut, the war-themed family drama "Grace Is Gone."

    - Los Angeles Times

    11 May 2013

  • Writer-director James C. Strouse's The Winning Season respects its misfits (and its audience) by not stripping away their foibles in the service of sports-movie clichés.

    Melissa Anderson - Village Voice

    11 May 2013

  • Among the girls, Emma Roberts has solid scenes with Rockwell.

    Kirk Honeycutt - The Hollywood Reporter

    11 May 2013

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