REEL Thursdays: Youngblood

Director Hubert Davis and a compelling cast deliver a more thoughtful kind of hockey movie that still hits hard. With its fierce intelligence and thoughtful take on masculinity and race, Youngblood is a far cry from most sports movies. Conditioned by his father Blane (Blair Underwood) to match any slight with a greater show of aggression, Dean Youngblood (Ashton James) is a player whose potential for greatness is stymied by his volatility. A chance to play for the Hamilton Mustangs could be Dean's last opportunity to course correct. But that means contending with toxic teammates and finding a way to work with Murray (Shawn Doyle), the Mustangs' skeptical coach. This relationship grows more fraught when Dean develops a connection with the bench boss' daughter Jessie (Alexandra McDonald), a promising athlete herself. Hubert Davis' remake of the 1986 original still hits the target when it comes to delivering high-stakes drama on and off the ice.

Screening time: 107 minutes
Audience advisory: Coarse language, bullying, mature themes, sexually suggestive scenes, violence

REEL Thursdays at Living Arts Centre gratefully acknowledges our partnership with Film Circuit, presented by TIFF, and its sponsors and supporters. For more information about Film Circuit and to view a full list of their sponsors and supporters, please visit http://www.tiff.net/filmcircuit.