Woodlawn
A gifted black football player and a divided Birmingham team find fragile unity amid school desegregation, racial violence, and a spiritual awakening.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- inspirational
- sincere
- earnest
- family movie night
- inspirational viewing
What critics said
Critics generally found the earnest true-story football drama inspirational, while noting its conventional and faith-forward approach.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Tony Nathan joins a predominantly white football team during Woodlawn High School's 1973 desegregation, forcing players and coaches to confront racism together.
Hank Erwin's motivational speech leads much of the team to commit their lives to Jesus Christ and unite in prayer.
The film connects school riots, interracial conflict, and football-team solidarity in 1970s Birmingham.
Coach Tandy Gerelds encourages players to redirect shared anger into unity while the team faces conflict on and off the field.
Films like Woodlawn, and why
Remember the Titans
shared true-story sports drama, racial integration, inspirational team solidarity, and uplifting emotional register
The Blind Side
shared american football setting, underdog teamwork, faith-inflected inspiration, and historical racial conflict
42
shared 1970s american sports drama, racial tension, moral conviction, and community transformation
McFarland, USA
shared true-story football drama, mentor figures, perseverance, and earnest inspirational tone
Movie Details
- Directors
- Jon Erwin, Andrew Erwin
- Release Date
- 2015-10-15
- Runtime
- 123 min
- Rating
- 6.8 / 10 (214)
Cast
- C. Thomas Howell
- Sean Astin
- Jon Voight
- Virginia Williams
- Brando Eaton
- Sherri Shepherd
- Nic Bishop
- Caleb Castille
- Kelly Greyson
- Rhoda Griffis
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Angel Studios
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Woodlawn about?
- A gifted black football player and a divided Birmingham team find fragile unity amid school desegregation, racial violence, and a spiritual awakening.
- What is Woodlawn like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Woodlawn as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Woodlawn violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Woodlawn as mild.
- What did critics think of Woodlawn?
- Critics generally found the earnest true-story football drama inspirational, while noting its conventional and faith-forward approach.
- Which films are like Woodlawn?
- Films with a similar feel include Remember the Titans, The Blind Side, 42, and McFarland, USA.
- How long is Woodlawn?
- Woodlawn runs 123 minutes.
- Where can I watch Woodlawn?
- In United States, Woodlawn streams on Angel Studios.
