American Underdog
American Underdog
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Watch-outs
What this film brings
Content barometer
Violence
1/5
Mild
Fear
1/5
Mild
Sexuality
1/5
Allusions
Language
1/5
Mild
Narrative complexity
3/5
Complex
Adult themes
0/5
None
Expert review
American Underdog tells the true story of Kurt Warner, an NFL quarterback who rose from stocking grocery store shelves to winning the Super Bowl, driven by faith, perseverance, and love. The film contains very little violence or frightening content, but it deals with emotionally weighty themes such as poverty, repeated failure, a child's disability, and the sudden and tragic death of Brenda's parents in a tornado. These elements are handled with restraint and without sensationalism, yet they give the film a genuine emotional gravity that places it beyond light family entertainment. Parents can use this film as a starting point to discuss resilience, faith, the value of hard work, and how to face life's hardships with dignity.
Synopsis
The true story of Kurt Warner, who went from a stockboy at a grocery store to a two-time NFL MVP, Super Bowl champion, and Hall of Fame quarterback.
Difficult scenes
The death of Brenda's parents in a tornado is announced abruptly and without narrative preparation. Although the scene is not shown in a graphic way, the emotional impact is significant: the couple is going through a breakup at that point and this tragic news brings them back together in grief. Young children may be unsettled by the idea that a natural disaster can suddenly kill loved ones without warning. Jesse, Brenda's son, has a severe visual disability resulting from an accident that occurred before the film begins. His condition is addressed with tenderness but in a realistic way, which may prompt children to ask questions about disability and physical vulnerability in a child. Kurt goes through a long period of hardship and professional humiliation: he is without a team, without money, forced to work night shifts at a grocery store and live in Brenda's basement. These scenes of discouragement and existential doubt may weigh emotionally on sensitive children who are not yet familiar with the concept of prolonged adult failure. A training scene under offensive coordinator Mike Martz shows an adult being repeatedly humiliated and berated in front of his teammates. While it remains within a sports context, the intensity of the denigration may surprise younger viewers.
Where to watch
No verified platform for the US market yet. We keep this section updated as availability changes.
Availability checked on Apr 01, 2026
About this title
- Format
- Feature film
- Year
- 2021
- Runtime
- 1h 52m
- Countries
- United States of America
- Original language
- EN
- Directed by
- Andrew Erwin, Jon Erwin
- Main cast
- Zachary Levi, Anna Paquin, Hayden Zaller, Ser'Darius Blain, Dennis Quaid, Chance Kelly, Simeon Castille, Bruce McGill, Adam Baldwin, Cindy Hogan
- Studios
- Lionsgate, City on a Hill Productions, Kingdom Story Company
Content barometer
Violence
1/5
Mild
Fear
1/5
Mild
Sexuality
1/5
Allusions
Language
1/5
Mild
Narrative complexity
3/5
Complex
Adult themes
0/5
None
Expert review
American Underdog tells the true story of Kurt Warner, an NFL quarterback who rose from stocking grocery store shelves to winning the Super Bowl, driven by faith, perseverance, and love. The film contains very little violence or frightening content, but it deals with emotionally weighty themes such as poverty, repeated failure, a child's disability, and the sudden and tragic death of Brenda's parents in a tornado. These elements are handled with restraint and without sensationalism, yet they give the film a genuine emotional gravity that places it beyond light family entertainment. Parents can use this film as a starting point to discuss resilience, faith, the value of hard work, and how to face life's hardships with dignity.
Synopsis
The true story of Kurt Warner, who went from a stockboy at a grocery store to a two-time NFL MVP, Super Bowl champion, and Hall of Fame quarterback.
Difficult scenes
The death of Brenda's parents in a tornado is announced abruptly and without narrative preparation. Although the scene is not shown in a graphic way, the emotional impact is significant: the couple is going through a breakup at that point and this tragic news brings them back together in grief. Young children may be unsettled by the idea that a natural disaster can suddenly kill loved ones without warning. Jesse, Brenda's son, has a severe visual disability resulting from an accident that occurred before the film begins. His condition is addressed with tenderness but in a realistic way, which may prompt children to ask questions about disability and physical vulnerability in a child. Kurt goes through a long period of hardship and professional humiliation: he is without a team, without money, forced to work night shifts at a grocery store and live in Brenda's basement. These scenes of discouragement and existential doubt may weigh emotionally on sensitive children who are not yet familiar with the concept of prolonged adult failure. A training scene under offensive coordinator Mike Martz shows an adult being repeatedly humiliated and berated in front of his teammates. While it remains within a sports context, the intensity of the denigration may surprise younger viewers.