The following blog entry is a review of a movie I recently watched, titled Forever Strong.
Warning: The movies I like the best generally get poor reviews with movie critics. “It’s a Wonderful Life” is one of my all-time favorite movies. I love the epic battle between good and evil and do not think it is “over the top” when good triumphs. I love movies that make me want to be better. I realize these kinds of movies aren’t for everyone. So, if you don’t agree with my cinematic preferences, you’re probably not going to like this movie.
Forever Strong, is a movie (based on a true story) about Rick Penning, a self-centered, out-of-control, star rugby player who lands himself in a juvenile corrections facility after a repeat drunk driving accident in which he almost killed his girlfriend. The director of the corrections facility notices Rick’s love for rugby and offers Rick the opportunity to play for the longtime rival Highland Rugby team, and its legendary Coach Gelwix.
This coach has a philosophy that he would rather help young men to be champions in life than to be champions on the field. This core philosophy is demonstrated when the coach allows Rick to stay in the first game even though the team is being destroyed because of Rick’s “me-first” mentality.
Gelwix emphasizes team play and has a policy prohibiting, liquor, drugs, cigarettes and fooling around with girls, as he tries to teach his players to be “forever strong” in life and not just on the field. Rick struggles with the dichotomy of the person he was and the person he is becoming. Rick’s evolution as a team player is symbolized through his participation with the team in the Maori war dance, the Haka.
Rick is finally released from the corrections facility and returns to his home and his old team. However, when he doesn’t fall back into his old ways, his old friends mock him and plant drugs and alcohol on him so that he ends up back in jail.
The defining scene shows Rick’s father visiting him in jail. Rick’s father won’t believe that Rick has changed, but Rick stands and declares that he is a Highland Rugby player and would never do anything to disgrace his family or his team. Rick ends that scene by telling his father “Kia Kaha” which means “forever strong” in Maori.
I enjoyed Rick’s strength to change despite intense pressures. I loved the strength of the Coach Gelwix character in shaping young rugby players to be champions in life. Kia Kaha.
Posted on November 16th, 2008 by Nathan Gwilliam
Filed under: Leadership, Life Lessons, Movie Reviews, Relationships, Self Improvement
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