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Champions poster

Film · 2023

Champions

Directed by Bobby Farrelly · starring Lauren Cochrane, Woody Harrelson and Kaitlin Olson

  • 2 h 4 min
  • Action · Adventure · Comedy
  • UKJapan
  • Released in the UK 9 March 2023
  • 4.5 AverageMovieNCo
  • 5.2 Users3 votes
  • 3.7 Critics3 reviews

Synopsis

North American remake of 'Champions'. Woody Harrelson stars in the funny and moving story of a former minor league basketball coach who, after a series of bad decisions, is ordered by the court to coach a team of players with intellectual disabilities . Despite his doubts, he will soon realize that, together, this team can go further than they ever imagined.

It is a 2023 American sports comedy film directed by Bobby Farrelly in his solo directorial debut, from a screenplay written by Mark Rizzo. It is a new English version of the 2018 Spanish film.

'Champions' was released in the United States on March 10, 2023 by Focus Features. The film received mixed reviews from critics. On the specialized website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 58% approval rating, with a rating of 5.8/10 and a critical consensus that reads "Though its apparent attempts to be uplifting can often come across as condescending, Champions is a fairly gentle comedy. with some very talented stars."

Principal photography took place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, from November to December 2021. Extras were sought through casting through St. Amant, a non-profit organization that works with Manitobans who have developmental disabilities and autism.

Where to watch Champions

All the options

Available now in the UK:

The essentials

Runtime
124 min2 hours and 4 minutes
Box office
$13.5min US
How long is Champions?
2 hours and 4 minutes (124 minutes).
When was Champions released in the UK?
It was released in the UK on 9 March 2023.
Who directed Champions?
Bobby Farrelly.
Who is in Champions?
It stars Lauren Cochrane, Woody Harrelson, Kaitlin Olson and Matt Cook.
Where can I watch Champions?
In the UK it is available to rent on Apple TV and Prime Video.
How much did Champions make?
It took $13.5 million in US.
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Director
Bobby Farrelly
Cinematography
C. Kim Miles

Photos and posters

All 13 photos

Reviews

All 3 reviews
5.2 3 votes

What the critics say average 3.7 from 3 outlets

  • 6.0 VarietyPeter Debruge The performances come with certain limitations (the line readings sound memorized, never spontaneous), but as a whole, the movie makes memorable, three-dimensional characters of its players, and… Read
  • 5.0 Screen DailyTim Grierson The solo directorial debut of Bobby Farrelly goes for broad laughs and a crowd-pleasing spirit, never mocking its disabled characters but, instead, celebrating their irreverent sense of humour and… Read
  • 0.0 The Washington PostMark Jenkins Quotation forthcoming. Read

Box office

Weekend by weekend
  • US $13.5m

Soundtrack

All 39 songs
  1. I Had Some Money But I Spent ItNick Waterhouse Spotify
  2. Whiskey River (Live at Harrah's Casino, Lake Tahoe, NV - 04/1978)Willie Nelson Spotify
  3. Place NamesNick Waterhouse Spotify
  4. My Way HomeCitizen Cope Spotify

Trivia

All 7 facts
  • Good partners

    Woody Harrelson had high praise for costar Madison Tevlin after working with her on the film. "She's not a great basketball player, but she is a movie star", he said.

  • Remake

    Remake of the Spanish film 'Campeones' (2018).

  • Sports comedy experts

    Director Bobby Farrelly directed Woody Harrelson in 'Vaya par de idiotas' (1996), a sport comedy about bowling.

  • Singer Harrelson

    Just as the credits start rolling, Woody Harrelson is playing the piano and singing a song which he composed. (The song is named Phoenix.)

  • Realist actors

    The players of the basketball team are disabled actors.

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