Watch Rebound
- PG
- 2005
- 1 hr 26 min
-
5.2 (13,751)
Rebound is a comedy movie featuring Martin Lawrence as the lead protagonist, Coach Roy McCormick. The movie was released in 2005 and directed by Steve Carr. The storyline follows the life of a popular college basketball coach McCormick, who is banned from the game due to his irritable temper. He finds himself at a loss of purpose and direction until he lands a job coaching a middle school basketball team.
McCormick's transition from coaching college-level to middle school-level becomes a hilarious and chaotic journey. The team, initially fearful of McCormick's strict and unapproachable demeanor, soon learns to bond with him as they progress through their season. The story of this incorrigible coach and a group of misfit kids who ultimately learn to work together and win makes for a heartwarming and thrilling underdog story.
As McCormick's temper proves to be his downfall, he is forced to watch a year of basketball games from the sidelines. He spends his day bouncing a ball against his office wall and making phone calls in the hopes of convincing someone to give him another chance. Finally, his prayers are answered when he is offered a chance to coach at his alma mater, Mount Vernon, but with a twist. He must first coach a middle school team called the Smelters to prove himself.
Initially, McCormick is dismissive of the team and fails to engage with the players. But as they face losing game after losing game, he realizes that he needs to change his approach before the team loses all hope. McCormick goes back to basics and starts with the fundamentals, improving the players' individual skills.
The team is made up of a group of outcasts who have never won a game. Their captain is Keith Ellis (Patrick Warburton), a former student of McCormick's from Mount Vernon who acts as his assistant coach. Outwardly, McCormick shows little interest in the team, and it appears that he is there only because he is forced to be. However, beneath his exterior, he begins to see potential in each player.
One of the standout performances in the movie is from Megan Mullally, who plays McCormick's love interest, Jeanie Ellis. Jeanie is Keith's wife and a school nurse. She is often bemused by McCormick's ways but is willing to give him a chance. The rest of the supporting cast includes Breckin Meyer, who plays Tim Fink, a former Smelter who helps McCormick transition to coaching middle school.
The movie features plenty of gags and humorous moments as McCormick is forced to get creative to motivate his team, including a brilliant scene where he bathroom-bombs them with a loudspeaker while they are in the bathroom to snap them out of their losing streak. The movie's climax includes the team's final game, where they come across a bigger and more talented team. With the help of McCormick's unconventional and humorous tactics, the Smelters win the game, giving them their first-ever taste of victory.
Ultimately, Rebound is a feel-good movie that tickles the funny bone and warms the heart. Martin Lawrence's comic timing and acting are pitch-perfect and elevate the movie. The children who make up the Smelters deliver standout performances that go beyond the typical child-actor stereotypes. This movie will leave you smiling and rooting for the underdogs.
Rebound is a 2005 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 26 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.2 and a MetaScore of 36.