"Average Joe" - A Movie Review

Alabama native, Ezra Richardson, debuts as an actor in "Average Joe", a PG-13 rated movie now showing in movie theaters across the country. Richardson, a Birmingham native, realistically portrays the young rebellious, pugnacious, skipping school to play pool, troubled main protagonist of the motion picture, Joe Anthony Kennedy. Based on a true story, "Average Joe", relates the story of Coach Joe Kennedy, who after being given up for adoption as a child, seems destined to go through life as a rebellious troublemaker with no hope for improvement. But, as fate would have it, he is later able to use his fighting rebellious spirit for good.

With underdog sports stories wherein, the athletic teams defy the odds to win a state or national championship being the fuel for excellence in the movie industry, "Average Joe" is an underdog sports themed story wherein the protagonist defies the odds, but not to win a state championship. Rather in "Average Joe", the protagonist, Coach Kennedy channels his fighting spirit to win a multi-year long legal battle that takes him all the way up to the United States Supreme Court.

The adult version of Coach Joe Kennedy is portrayed by Eric Close in "Average Joe" who was drawn to the role due to his love of redemption stories. And in "Average Joe", after graduating from the boys' 'school where he is sent as a rebellious young lad, Joe Kennedy channels his bellicose nature into a career in the United States Marine Corps. After serving in the United States Marine Corps for twenty years, he reunites with his childhood sweetheart and returns to the state of Washington, where he grew up. His wife, portrayed by Amy Acker, lands her dream job working in Human Resources with the local school district. And all appears to be set for the couple to quietly enjoy their twilight years together.

However, Kennedy is recruited to coach football at the local high school since he can relate to some of the troubled young players on the team. And when he accepts the position, he promises The Good Lord that he will pray after every game. Which he does. Yet trouble begins to brew when the players, out of

their own volition, decide to join their coach in praying after the game. The school district becomes concerned that there might be Christianity involved, so they request that Coach Kennedy cease praying on the field and pray in a closet hidden in the locker room all by himself, instead. Yet, Kennedy's rebellious spirit from childhood resurfaces. This time for a higher calling. And Coach Kennedy continues praying on the field. Which leads to the school board firing him for praying.

Represented by attorney Kelly Shackelford, a Baylor Law School graduate from "First Liberty", an organization devoted to protecting religious freedom, Coach Kennedy soon finds himself in a several years long legal battle to protect his right to quietly pray by himself on the field after the football games.

This legal battle takes him all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, twice. For at first the Supreme Court refuses to hear the case, but in a gift to the plaintiffs, they do state that the lower courts made some mistakes. And, eventually, Kennedy's case makes its way back up to the United State Supreme Court for a second time. Where after defending the United States Constitution for twenty years as a Marine, he is denied entry to the arguments for his own case due to covid-19 restrictions. However, his case is argued before the Supreme Court Justices by Paul Cement, the former U.S. Solicitor General and First Liberty network attorney. And in a landmark decision, the Supreme Court rules in favor of the plaintiff, Coach Kennedy. Thereby reversing the previous hypothetical "Reasonable Observer" religious endorsement standard set by Lemon v. Kirtuzman fifty years previously, in favor of religious freedom being viewed through the original meaning of the Establishment Clause of the Bill of Rights.

A compelling story that is worth watching, "Average Joe" is a positive film about how even in today's hustle and bustle society, one person can make a difference. However, it must be noted that the movie was directed by Harold Cronk off of a screenplay that was written by Stephanie Katz. And, quite frankly, they make a poor choice in their presentation of the praying coach's story. For instead of choosing a dramatic Hollywood biopic format, it opts for imposing a farcical element into the film via interspersing the dramatic scenes with interviews of the actors portraying the husband and wife couple. Granted, Eric Close and Amy Acker do an excellent job of portraying the loving couple, however, from the very first opening scene, this tongue-in-cheek interview format that is randomly mixed in with the serious story line element detracts from the otherwise moving true story. Hopefully, one day, Christian movie producers will learn from the best in Hollywood film making and such errors will cease to be a feature of independent Christian films.

That being said, "Average Joe" is an hour and forty minutes in length. And with Alabama native, Ezra Richardson, making a very credible acting debut in the feature film, "Average Joe" is a movie based on a true story that is well worth seeing.

Luisa Reyes is an attorney in Tuscaloosa with a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Judson, a master's degree in library science, and a law degree from Samford's Cumberland School of Law. She is also a piano instructor and vocalist.