Audible 2021

It follows the journey of Amaree McKenstry-Hall, a senior athlete at the Maryland School for the Deaf, as he and his teammates strive to maintain their impressive winning streak. This mission coincides with their struggle to cope with the heartbreaking loss of a dear friend who succumbed to suicide. In the locker room, communication is solely through sign language, emphasizing the unique culture of the team. Even during the intense halftime discussions, the players express their emotions and thoughts via sign, highlighting the importance of this language in their lives.

Maryland boasts a champion football team, and the dynamics on the field are notably distinctive, reflecting their abilities through signed communication. Even the referees adopt this method during games. However, the team faces a significant setback after losing their first match to a deaf school from Texas, ending their 16-season-long winning streak of 42 consecutive victories. The pressure mounts as Amaree approaches his final year.

Amaree’s journey is deeply personal; he has been wearing a hearing aid since childhood due to meningitis that left him deaf at the age of three. Although he can feel vibrations and sense the rhythm of footsteps, conversation remains elusive. Equipped with a Cochlear Implant, he enjoys music but is the only member of his family with hearing difficulties, leading to feelings of isolation, especially since his father, Marvin, abandoned the family when Amaree was two. Marvin’s struggle with fear and stress hindered their relationship, as he couldn’t cope with Amaree’s health challenges. Recently, he has sought to reconnect with his son after turning away from a life of crime.

At school, life continues normally for the students, filled with social events like proms and homecoming parties. Ryan serves as the football coach, emphasizing that for a deaf team, other senses are heightened, providing players with an advantageous perspective on the field. They utilize secret codes to communicate during the game, which showcases their unique skills.

The film also explores the lives of other students at the Frederick, Maryland campus, including Jalen, a cheerleader with a passion for playing the drums, which produce vibrations that the players can sense. Meanwhile, Lera, another cheerleader, plays a significant role in the group.

The emotional story takes a tragic turn with the death of Teddy, Amaree’s best friend, who was also a member of the football team and Jalen’s first love. After transferring to a hearing school where he faced bullying, Teddy tragically took his own life, leaving behind a profound impact on the community.

As the team trains diligently, they confront discrimination; many hearing teams refuse to compete against them. The only way to challenge stereotypes and prove their worth is to emerge victorious on the field, demonstrating that deaf athletes can be just as capable, if not more so.

Within this tapestry of experiences, Amaree seeks to take Lera to the homecoming dance, but sensing her hesitation, he decides to give her some space. Like any group of teenagers, they grapple with questions about relationships and their futures, facing the universal challenges of youth.

On homecoming day, the team competes against the Virginia Spartans, a hearing team, marking Amaree’s final game for the school. As he is crowned homecoming King, the game kicks off with a challenging first half, which sees the home team struggling to secure an advantage, leaving the score tied at 6-6. However, the second half transforms into a true showcase of their skills, culminating in a triumphant victory at 20-14.

In 2020, Amaree completed his education at MSD, with the real world awaiting him—a landscape assuredly fraught with challenges. Yet, for now, the most important lesson remains: the power of being true to oneself.