Mickey Starling
Reporter3@riverbendnews.org
Today, Kurt Warner is a household name for long-time football fans, but that wasn't the case in 1998, when St. Louis Rams Head Coach Dick Vermeil brought the undrafted grocery store employee on to the practice field. Warner had been the quarterback for the University of Northern Iowa and had been cut after a brief tenure with the Green Bay Packers in 1994.
“American Underdog” tells far more than a football success story. The film highlights the ups and downs of Warner's journey while revealing more about his faith and his incredible love story with his wife, Brenda. Zachary Levi does an excellent job portraying Warner, as does Dennis Quaid portraying Coach Vermeil.
The producers worked to keep the movie as accurate as possible, using many of the actual comments that Vermeil made to and about Warner. During a practice, Vermeil said of Warner's untested talents, “Either this kid can really play, or our defense is lousy.” Once starting quarterback Trent Green was sidelined with injuries in 1999, Vermeil named Warner as the starter, telling him, “There's something special about you, son, and I can't wait to find out what it is.” He witnessed Warner's special talents when the Rams won the Super Bowl in 2000. That sentiment holds true for the film, if you haven't seen it. It's something special and well worth the price of admission. The movie is currently showing at Valdosta Stadium Cinemas, in Valdosta, Ga.