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The Winning Season

Play trailer Poster for The Winning Season PG-13 2010 1h 46m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
52% Tomatometer 23 Reviews 54% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Increasingly estranged from his own daughter, a boozy busboy (Sam Rockwell) gets a shot at redemption when an old friend (Rob Corddry) hires him to coach a varsity girls basketball team.
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The Winning Season

Critics Reviews

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Stephen Holden New York Times 09/03/2010
2.5/5
In its final lap The Winning Season collapses into a sentimental farce that even Mr. Rockwell, now playing the clown, cannot redeem from cringe-inducing hokum. Go to Full Review Lou Lumenick New York Post 09/03/2010
3/4
Rockwell does a typically fine job -- he's funny, touching and appalling -- as an alcoholic mess of a former high school basketball coach who's been reduced to washing dishes in a restaurant. Go to Full Review Sheri Linden Los Angeles Times 09/02/2010
3/5
The story deepens through the clownish, heartbreaking exertions of Rockwell's gruff misfit, still working things out at the final buzzer. Go to Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review 08/09/2023
3/4
Here’s a movie that employs all your standard, overused sports movie formulas—everything from the obligatory training montage to rousing Big Game suspense—and makes it work with strong writing and fine performances. Go to Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 01/30/2018
C
Mediocre, predictable underdog sports film. Go to Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 02/04/2013
C
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Audience Reviews

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Pat H @RT38139330 05/28/2025 Gloomy movie. Should have been funny and inspiring. Teen years are hard enough. Nobody needs a depressing movie as well. Sam Rockwell sapped all the energy out of this story, even while the girls on the team were trying and trying to make it light, funny, triumphant. See more JW S @RT71122869 02/03/2025 I was really pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this movie given its somewhat formulaic plot. Sam Rockwell is always a winner and his individual chemistry with each castmember is fun to watch. See more Anthony J @jenkinsdraws 09/20/2023 Very predicable story of loveable looser makes good. Without Sam Rockwell's quirkiness it would be an average made for TV movie. See more Avalon T @Avalon604 05/23/2023 I enjoyed this movie. Sam Rockwell, as usual, is a great actor, in this heartwarming movie. Had a few good laughs in it. Yes, it is a bit cheesy,I guess, but I thought it was great, If you want a light movie that will bring a smile to your face, this feel good movie is it. See more Sean S @RT99571076 05/15/2023 A solid cast with a good concept, but just doesn't deliver its full potential. Mr. Rockwell does his best to carry this movie but with a simple character arc and simple plot it falls short. See more 08/15/2020 Better than you'd think. Recommend. Foul language though. See more Read all reviews
The Winning Season

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Cast & Crew

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James C. Strouse

Director

Sam Rockwell

Bill

Emma Roberts

Abbie

Rob Corddry

Terry

Shareeka Epps

Lisa

Emily Rios

Kathy

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The Winning Season

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The Winning Season

(Top Row L-R) Sam Rockwell as Bill, Rooney Mara as Wendy, Emily Rios as Kathy, Meaghan Witri as Tamra, Margo Martindale as Donna. (Bottom Row L-R) Shareeka Epps as Lisa, Emma Roberts as Abbie and Melanie Hinkle as Mindy in "The Winning Season." (L-R) Filmmaker James C. Strouse and Sam Rockwell on the set of "The Winning Season." Rob Corddry as Terry in "The Winning Season." (L-R) Sam Rockwell as Bill and Emma Roberts as Abbie in "The Winning Season." Sam Rockwell as Bill in "The Winning Season." Emma Roberts as Abbie in "The Winning Season." (L-R) Rob Corddry as Terry and Sam Rockwell as Bill in "The Winning Season." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Increasingly estranged from his own daughter, a boozy busboy (Sam Rockwell) gets a shot at redemption when an old friend (Rob Corddry) hires him to coach a varsity girls basketball team.
Director
James C. Strouse
Producer
Gia Walsh, Kara Baker, Celine Rattray, Galt Niederhoffer, Daniela Taplin Lundberg
Screenwriter
James C. Strouse
Distributor
Lionsgate Films
Production Co
Plum Pictures, Gigi Films, Gigi Productions
Rating
PG-13 (Smoking|Language|Alcohol Abuse|Some Sexual References|Some Thematic Elements)
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 3, 2010, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
May 8, 2015
Runtime
1h 46m