In the spirit of so many films created for the small screen, My All American works way too hard to make sure our heartstrings are pulled — and actually yanked hard from start to finish.

The movie is much like its hero, Freddie — straightforward, sweet, hard-working and predictable.

All of the film's nuances are ultimately negated by the its relentless canonization of its subject.

My All American plays like an extended highlights reel, not a movie.

Angelo Pizzo knows inspirational sports drama. As the writer of “Hoosiers” and “Rudy,” Pizzo has made a career out of mining the genre and its themes of underdog determination and locker-room brotherhood. But he’s overmatched in his directing debut, the well-intentioned football biopic My All American.