A famous but flawed college athlete turns down the NFL to search for his mother who has gone missing, only to find out he has an illness that takes him on an unexpected journey.
Ross Campbell’s “100 Yards” is jam-packed with drama. And is turned to 11 when it comes to the melodramatics. This isn’t your average film. It has a Hallmark or Lifetime Movie flair to it, with a Christian faith-based structure. While there is nothing wrong with that, I just think it’s good to know that before diving in, as it will not be everyone’s cup of tea. With that said, I was surprised by just how much drama is supplied. You get all kinds of licentious behavior including but not limited to drunkenness, exploitative scheming, various outbursts of violence, vomiting on women in public, and being mean to a kid with cancer. It’s comically overdone but you can’t stop watching. Once you accept what it is you’re watching and get the initial big laughs out of the way, you realize the story is endearing enough to see it through.
“100 Yards” focuses on Rich Porter (Steven Brewis), a talented college football player who turns down the chance to go pro in the NFL because his mother has gone missing in the Philippines. So, we find Rich in Cebu, drinking excessively and at his lowest as his attempts to find his mother is fruitless. His determination cannot be denied but his methods are wanting. And it doesn’t help that he’s attracted a girlfriend, Tess (Melissa Paulo), who has some crafty tricks up her sleeve. One such trick is hitting herself in the eye with a rock in an attempt to sell a false story to Ray (Sean Patrick Flannery), a journalist that has a problematic history with Rich.
Not everyone is out to get Rich though. He has a fine support system if only he could rise above his anger and grief to see it. He’s part of a local football team in Cebu, and the coach, Josh Berry (R.C. Ormond) is a tough but loving guide to Rich. No matter how many times Rich fumbles, Berry is there to set him straight. And things only get worse for Rich. Not only can he not find his mother, and is dealing with a lecherous girlfriend, he also finds out he has a brain tumor and needs immediate treatment and eventually surgery. With this news, Rich continues to be absurd. More than half the film is about how utterly ridiculous and low a man can get. His actions and reactions to anything and everything are similar to a teenage boy’s unprecedented reaction to someone asking him to do chores. Humorously dramatic and unnecessary.
But then enters Nurse Brittany (Rebecca Lim) and Darrell (Jerald Uy), two more allies to set Rich straight. Brittany has her own sorrows to contend with but she does so gracefully and with purpose and Darrell is a kid, and Rich’s roommate, who has the same condition as Rich. Darrell is the key to teaching Rich how to change his life for the better no matter what happens in his life. He does this through a game called 100 Yards, a game that heals your life. It’s sweet and through this game, you witness the strong bond that develops between Rich and Darrell. Rich’s journey is complex and filled with many lows and it’s interesting to see how he eventually overcomes them.
“100 Yards” may be trying a little too hard to get its point across and definitely hits one too many saccharin notes. The acting is a little too on the nose, not much room for nuance or subtlety. It’s definitely in your face exploding with teenage boy melodrama and tearjerker cancer jabs but it’s addicting and once you start it you’ll want to finish it, especially if you like endings that are perfectly tied together at the end.
Available on DVD & Digital March 5th
