Requiem for a Team?

Plot Summary

An aspirational group of young kids have their dreams shattered when a southern bulldog tears their heart out, stranding them on the precipice of failure and despair.

My Review

2.5 Stars (out of 5) "You're killin' me, Smalls"

You can claim this game was nothing more than a "tale of two halves" - one good, one bad - and I wouldn't argue. You can say Mizzou "blew it" and should have won. I cannot rightfully dispute that either. Hey, you can tell me it was a cruel, unusual and blatantly gross attempt at achieving maximum shock value. I'm fine with that as well. However, you or anyone else will never convince me this game was futile. Much like Richard Dreyfuss' mound of mashed potatoes: This meant something. This was important… but I did walk away feeling disgusted and physically ill.

I'm not quite sure how a mid-September sporting event invoked such a wide range of emotion but, ya know, it did. How does that old saying go? I laughed, I cried, I blacked out from the pain and eventually fell into an anger-induced coma? That pretty much sums up what I saw this past weekend - a mixed bag of visually-stunning effects…

… gripping drama…

…and disturbing imagery.

On the surface, Requiem for a Team? paints a bleak picture of hardship and loss. Below the surface we find, well, more heartache. But just beyond that; beyond the many layers of torment and hopeless narrative, you find something you wouldn't expect: heart. It's faint, but I assure you it is there. Unfortunately, "heart" only gets you so far.

Tale of Two Halves:

The good news? We saw what Mizzou football is capable of.

1st half:

The bad news? We saw what Mizzou football is capable of.

2nd half:

The onscreen duo of Drew Lock (376 yds, 3 TDs, 3 INTs) and J'Mon Moore (8 rec, 196 yds, 2 TDs, 1 fumble) delivered an awe-inspiring five-star performance early on. The second half? Well, let's say it took a more "controversial" turn which left audiences confused, questioning their own life decisions and wondering how two bright stars could fade so quickly into the night.

We Blew It:

Five turnovers. Inconsistent defense. Inconsistent offense. A half-assed attempt of clock management. Questionable late game play-calling. FIVE TURNOVERS.

In order for a good drama to fully satisfy in the end, it must first pull you in by creating reasonable doubt. You know, throw all the crap humanly possible at the protagonist then drop one final obstacle for them to overcome. I get that but… c'mon! This was a little much. FIVE TURNOVERS!?

Shock Value:

(Censored)

Somethings you just can't unsee.

Summary: A game not solely about the final score; Requiem is a powerful, emotionally draining work of art too important to ignore but admittedly hard to stomach. At its core lie one simple message: what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger... but you sure as hell better get a lot stronger or you will most definitely die sooner rather than later. However, due in large part to the graphic imagery and unpleasant themes throughout, a number of interpretations can be extracted (see Pat Forde) leaving many with a bitter, pessimistic taste in their mouth. Understandable, for this was not simply a game Mizzou fans watched. No, it was an excruciating exercise of endurance Mizzou nation experienced together - and I for one am glad we did… sort of. That said, I'll never watch it again. My stomach can't take it.

What do you think? Rate the game below using the Smalls-o-meter and find out what the rest of Mizzou Nation thinks.

Rock M Review Ratings

*You're killin' it, Smalls (60% or more Mizzou fans rate the game positively)

*You're killin' me, Smalls (59% or fewer Mizzou fans rate the game positively)

Watch:

Genre: Psychological horror, Drama | Rated R

Starring: Drew Lock, J'Mon Moore, Charles Harris

Featuring: Uga

Produced by: Josh Heupel and DeMontie Cross

Directed by: Barry Odom