Joe Leydon Film CriticAs inspirational college sports movies go, “Heart of the Champions” doesn’t go, or row, nearly far enough off the beaten path.
It’s every bit as boilerplate as its generic title might indicate, distinguished only by its focus on an underdog rowing team rather than the amateur baseball, basketball, football or hockey players usually involved in similar scenarios.
There’s just so much even a fine actor like Michael Shannon can do to freshen such stale material, even when he’s given a plum role as a demanding coach who expects the impossible from his young charges.
Read more on variety.com