Most Dove approved films get a bad rap due to their more independent nature. There are plenty that really deliver a great message and good film together, but sadly more often than not they miss the mark. The latest, 100 Yards starring Sean Patrick Flanery, Steven Brewis, Danielle Rayne and Rebecca Lim, but does it bring the uplifting message and story to a great film or will it fumble the ball?

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100 yards follows Rich Porter who had it all: talent, good looks and a bright future playing quarterback for an American football team…then tragedy struck. His mother goes missing while volunteering in a remote area of the Philippines, and Rich’s attempts to find her are in vain. Giving in to despair, he receives more bad news when he is diagnosed with cancer. Then, at the hospital, a young boy with the same condition and a compassionate nurse do their best to bring hope back to the ailing Rich. They show him that the game of his life is a struggle for every yard, but – with the help of faith and friends – it can be won.

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I knew little to nothing about this film going in so hoped with Flannery’s involvement it might manage to offer up something more than just another throwaway film. While there are elements that work the entire thing falls kind of flat. The tone of it all feels more like a Lifetime movie than a feature. Had it aired on a network like that and it might have, then it might be something that worked a bit better. The story is fine, but tended to be all over the place with too many competing elements in my opinion. The biggest one being his obsession of finding his mother drives him, but ends up being second to it all and in turn loses its impact when it finally comes to the end of the story.

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The performances were all over the place with Flannery doing a great job as always and looking like he was all in as well as lead Steven Brewis. He brings some decent emotion and range to the role to carry the weight of it all, but it gets lost in the klunky story and often flat performances by some of the others. In the end the film isn’t bad, you just need to know going in its more independent and focused on the message it is trying to get across than the execution to get there.