“We are all somebody else’s table scraps but I don’t focus on the past I focus on potential!”

Synopsis: From a true story—Taraji P. Henson stars as Catana Starks; the first African-American woman to coach an all-men’s golf team at Tennessee State University. Who recruited some international underdogs in hopes of winning the Minority Championships.

How does a swim coach become a golf coach with a limited budget, no decent golf clubs, and a motley crew comprised of Craig (Robert Bailey Jr.) an African-American who is a former caddy, a South Korean, JI-Kyung (Justin Chon) who is a gangster wannabe, a French Nigerian Basaam (Ben Youcef)) who is still dealing with political oppression, Cameron (Paul Hodge) an Aussie obsessed with golf who has a zest for life, and a Brit by the name of Edward (Tom Felton) who literally learned how to play golf in the streets? What an interesting international stew.

Their first time out to play in a golf tournament was a disaster gone wild. How do you wind up in last place in a field of thirty teams? Either you are really bad or your many issues got in the way. Starks confronts the team about their poor teamwork and encourages them to give the game their all so they can win the upcoming Minority Championships. In that pep talk, she tells them, “We are all somebody else’s table scraps but I don’t focus on the past I focus on potential!” Then to make matters worse Basaam ends up fighting at a frat house that could cost the team expulsion and leave the coach’s career bogeyed.

Not only is Coach Starks battling against all odds but she is also dealing with an egocentric Athletics Director Kendrick Paulsen, Jr (Henry Simmons) who can’t seem to get past his own accomplishments to understand who she is. But there is an outspoken voice of wisdom found in Roger (Michael Clarke Duncan) the janitor that was able to somehow bridge this gap of misunderstanding.

As coach Starks begins dealing with her teams’ issues there are some of her own issues that come to light that she had to explain after giving some relationship advice to Edward and one of her swim team members. What a difference a dinner makes. She invites the team over for dinner and has a real heart-to-heart conversation with them where it looks like things may start turning around. She is thoroughly convinced that if they start treating each other like family—like brothers, they can win the championships.

Can the guys stop taking a testosterone bath long enough to understand what Coach Starks is saying? Will they make it to the finals? Will she lose her job? You will just have to watch the movie to find out.

Released in 2014. From the Rough is 97 min, is rated PG, and can be seen on Redbox., The Roku Channel, UP Faith & Family, Vudu, or Apple TV on your Roku device.

Director: Pierre Bagley.
Writers: Pierre Bagley, Michael J. Critelli, Mike Critelli.
Stars: Taraji P. Henson, Michael Clarke Duncan, LeToya Luckett, and Henry Simmons.

We give From the Rough

From the Rough had a very good storyline with a lot of different seasonings along the way in this international stew that will give your movie tastebuds a new flavor sensation as it takes you along a journey of determination and self-discovery no matter the circumstances. This lighthearted romantic comedy will leave you with an after-dinner mint to improve your position on diligence, teamwork, and respect. Some life lessons we could all take from this delightful dining table.

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