Despite a likeable cast, Gridiron Gang is a predictable sports flick.

The desperate sentimentality in Gridiron Gang is commonplace in sports movies, but what separates this picture from its brethren of “adolescent n’er-do-wells find the meaning of life thanks to a tough-yet-caring authority figure” is an earnest likeability that allows it to work within its rigidly defined genre. This doesn’t make it a good movie, just a competent one.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson stars as Sean Porter, a probation officer at a juvenile detention center who, along with another officer (Xzibit), turns a group of felons into a high school football team. Their reasoning makes sense: The kids often use violence to settle disputes as it is, and are accustomed to being members of “gangs” that are on a never-ending quest to demonstrate superiority. Given that there are (according to the film) 120,000 kids incarcerated in detention centers across the country, and 75 percent of them either return to prison or die, the structure and unity offered by football games seems like a good idea.

Of course, it’s not easy for Porter to convince his bosses of this, which is where director Phil Joanou gets into trouble. Given that the film’s trailers consist almost entirely of football action, there’s way too much time spent on whether or not the team will be allowed to play, internal disputes among the team, and Porter’s cancer-stricken mother (L. Scott Caldwell, who also plays cancer sufferer Rose on TV’s Lost).

Despite all the tedious gang warfare, unoriginal football practice montages and big game clichés, there’s an undeniable likeability amongst the kids that makes the movie something of a guilty pleasure. Beneath all the tough talk and macho personas are good, albeit flawed, teenagers who need an outlet for their frustrations and aggressive tendencies. Football is the perfect answer. What’s more, it’s encouraging to see them (somewhat) reformed and having success with the condoned violence of the game.

For example, take Bug (Brandon Smith), the team’s water boy. He’s a happy, upbeat kid who makes everyone around him laugh, and his ego allows him to fit right in with his bigger, stronger peers on the team. There’s also Willie (Jade Yorker), the star running back who desperately wants to escape the gang life he’s committed to, Kelvin (David V. Thomas), who’s from a rival gang, and Junior (Setu Taase), who starts so many fights Porter thinks he’s too violent for football.   

The role is an interesting choice for The Rock, who’s once again in a character-driven piece that focuses a lot more on morals than munitions. He once told me in an interview that he wants to play characters that inspire him, and that he wants to make moving pictures rather than slam-bang action thrillers. It’s easy to see what moved him to take this role: He played football for the University of Miami in the mid-1990s, and is very effective here as both a mentor and coach.

Gridiron Gang is the cinematic equivalent of kicking field goals when touchdowns are desperately needed. It makes good decisions, but never quite breaks through when it’s most important. But hey, field goals aren’t all bad—at least they get some points on the board.

GRIDIRON GANG ** Directed by Phil Joanou. • Starring The Rock, Xzhibit and Vanessa Ferlito. • PG-13, 136 min. • At the Century Cinemas Del Monte Center, Maya Cinemas, Northridge Cinemas.