Logo What's After the Movie

The Underdoggs 2024

Former football star Jaycen "Two Js" Jennings finds himself at a low point and seeks redemption by coaching the Underdoggs, a spirited pee-wee football team in Long Beach, California. While helping the young players develop their skills, Jaycen confronts his own past mistakes and learns valuable lessons about teamwork, perseverance, and the true meaning of success.

Former football star Jaycen "Two Js" Jennings finds himself at a low point and seeks redemption by coaching the Underdoggs, a spirited pee-wee football team in Long Beach, California. While helping the young players develop their skills, Jaycen confronts his own past mistakes and learns valuable lessons about teamwork, perseverance, and the true meaning of success.

Does The Underdoggs have end credit scenes?

No!

The Underdoggs does not have end credit scenes. You can leave when the credits roll.

Ratings and Reviews for The Underdoggs

See how The Underdoggs is rated across major platforms like IMDb, Metacritic, and TMDb. Compare audience scores and critic reviews to understand where The Underdoggs stands among top-rated movies in its genre.


Echo Score

The Movie Echo Score

37

The Underdoggs struggles to balance its comedic impulses with dramatic intent, resulting in a largely uninspired sports comedy. While some viewers appreciate the comfort of a familiar underdog narrative and intermittent moments of levity, the drama often feels underdeveloped and the humor grows repetitive. Performances oscillate between mild amusement and bland execution, and the film offers few surprises to sustain engagement. Overall, it emerges as a moderately flawed effort that leans toward disappointment rather than genuine entertainment.

The Movie Echo Score Breakdown for The Underdoggs

55
Echo Score

Art & Craft

In terms of art and craft, the film displays competent technical work but little stylistic ambition. The editing establishes a steady rhythm that keeps scenes moving, and the production design provides functional settings without distinctive visual flair. Direction remains straightforward, with framing that emphasizes conventional compositions rather than inventive imagery. Overall, the craft feels adequate yet unremarkable, lacking the polish to elevate the material.

35
Echo Score

Character & Emotion

When it comes to character and emotion, performances are uneven and seldom resonate deeply. Snoop Dogg’s portrayal offers occasional charm but lacks the charisma needed to carry a thin script, while the young actors struggle to leave a lasting impact. Chemistry among the ensemble feels surface-level, and character arcs offer limited emotional depth. In sum, the cast delivers sporadic amusement but fails to forge meaningful connections.

30
Echo Score

Story & Flow

Regarding story and flow, the narrative adheres closely to a predictable underdog template with few deviations. Plot coherence is steady but derivative, and measured pacing does little to conceal the absence of originality. Humor initially lands but quickly becomes numbing, and the dramatic stakes never fully materialize. Engagement flags as familiar tropes dominate without fresh twists. Consequently, the story feels worn and offers little incentive for investment.

30
Echo Score

Sensory Experience

From a sensory perspective, the film’s heavy reliance on profanity and shock-value humor often undermines its intended tone. Sound design integrates banter and soundtrack elements in a straightforward manner but lacks subtlety. Visual style remains coherent yet uninspired, and the constant swearing can feel gratuitous, especially in a film positioned for younger viewers. Overall, the sensory experience is jarring rather than immersive.

45
Echo Score

Rewatch Factor

In terms of rewatch factor, the comfort of familiarity may appeal to a narrow audience, but limited novelty and shallow character work reduce repeat enjoyment. Sporadic comedic moments provide occasional amusement, yet the lack of depth and narrative innovation diminishes lasting appeal. While some may revisit for light entertainment, the film offers insufficient layers to encourage multiple viewings.

Metacritic

39

Metascore

4.8

User Score

Rotten Tomatoes
review

42%

TOMATOMETER

review

56%

User Score

IMDb

5.6 /10

IMDb Rating

TMDB

71

%

User Score

Letterboxd

2.7

From 9 fan ratings

Movie Insider

3.00/5

From 2 fan ratings

Take the Ultimate The Underdoggs Movie Quiz

Challenge your knowledge of The Underdoggs with this fun and interactive movie quiz. Test yourself on key plot points, iconic characters, hidden details, and memorable moments to see how well you really know the film.


The Underdoggs Quiz: Test your knowledge about the film 'The Underdoggs' and its inspiring story of redemption and teamwork.

Who is the main character of 'The Underdoggs'?

Full Plot Summary and Ending Explained for The Underdoggs

See more

Read the complete plot summary of The Underdoggs, including all major events, twists, and the full ending explained in detail. Explore key characters, themes, hidden meanings, and everything you need to understand the story from beginning to end.


The film opens with football star Jaycen “Two-J’s” Jennings (Snoop Dogg) reflecting on the pinnacle moments and troubling times of his career while hosting his podcast. Jaycen, a gifted player who was drafted directly from high school, saw his stardom skyrocket but ultimately suffered from his reckless behavior both on and off the field. As his performance declined, so did his fan support, leading to a sense of being washed up and forgotten.

In a moment of frustration, Jaycen storms into the office of his agent, Ryan Kauffman (Kal Penn), who is evidently trying to distance himself from Jaycen. Ryan informs Jaycen that his reputation has taken a significant hit, particularly when compared to Chip Collins (Andrew Schulz), a sports commentator who has relentlessly criticized him. Ryan urges Jaycen to reshape his public persona to boost his ratings, but Jaycen reacts with fury, shouting at Ryan and leaving in a huff. He even confronts Tony Gonzalez in a heated exchange before recklessly driving off, only for his car to be totaled in a collision with a bus.

Following this accident, Jaycen faces not only injuries but also a sentence of 300 hours of community service in his childhood hometown of Long Beach. To add insult to injury, the judge—who recognizes Jaycen—makes a public announcement of his return and his embarrassing community service task, picking up dog waste, before the entire neighborhood.

Fast forward five weeks later, Jaycen returns to Long Beach. He is nearly the victim of a gunpoint robbery by his childhood friend, Kareem (Mike Epps), who abruptly changes his demeanor upon recognizing Jaycen and greets him warmly. Jaycen begins his community service at a local middle school, where he attends a football practice with the “Green Team.” The kids mock him for his outdated outfit and the demeaning chore he must fulfill, which causes him to lash out in anger. Among the boys is Trey (Jonigan Booth) whose mother, Cherise (Tika Sumpter), works at the school and happens to be Jaycen’s ex-girlfriend. Cherise is understandably furious with Jaycen over his treatment of her son and the other kids.

Jaycen learns from Kareem that the team lacks a coach, perceiving this as a chance to redeem himself and reconnect with Cherise. Their first game against the formidable Colonels, coached by Chip, sees the Green Team performing poorly while Jaycen’s harsh critique demoralizes the players even further. Cherise chastises him for his insensitivity during a time when the boys are already feeling defeated.

Seeking guidance, Jaycen turns to his former mentor, Coach Feis (George Lopez), who encourages him to employ a “Jedi mind trick” to rally the team. Jaycen returns, motivated to inspire the kids by relating to them as fellow underdogs. He incorporates their interests into training—such as motivating Gary (Alexander Michael Gordon) to channel his love for “Game of Thrones” in his gameplay. Jaycen surprises the team with new jerseys, each bearing personalized nicknames: Trey becomes “Superstar,” Gary is “Drogon,” and Tony (Adan James Carrillo) receives the quirky nickname “Titties.”

As Jaycen grows closer to the kids, he emphasizes the importance of teamwork and respect. However, during practice, he discovers that Tony keeps his football activities hidden from his parents, who believe he is involved in Mathletes. He encourages Tony to be sincere about his passions, while also speaking to Dwayne (Caleb Dixon), advising him to embrace his humble beginnings living in a trailer park. In an unexpected twist, the team learns that one of their players, Ghost (Kylah Davila), is a girl, much to Cherise’s delight.

Jaycen invites the team to his grand home for a pool party, but things take a turn when Kareem inadvertently falls asleep on watch, allowing the boys to discover his beer stash. When Jaycen and Cherise return, they are met with chaos as the kids are misbehaving in the pool.

Later, during a practice session, Ryan calls Jaycen, revealing the good news that his involvement with the team has boosted his ratings, presenting him with the opportunity to host his own sports TV show. Unfortunately, the show’s taping coincides with the big game against the Colonels. The kids express their fear that Jaycen will abandon them, mirroring past experiences with prior coaches. Nevertheless, Jaycen insists that this opportunity is pivotal for his career, leading to disappointment from the kids and Cherise.

On the day of the taping, Jaycen finds himself seated with other prominent commentators such as Terry Bradshaw and Michael Strahan but soon feels an overwhelming sense of regret. He rushes back to the field just in time, delivering a passionate pep talk to inspire the team before game time. Initially, the Colonels dominate with an impressive lead, leaving Jaycen’s team scoreless. However, Trey’s motivating speech sparks a surge of energy among the players, uniting the crowd against the Colonels.

As the game progresses, the kids make a notable comeback, aided by Kareem’s dogs creating distractions for a biased referee. In a crucial moment, they pass the ball to Tony, but he narrowly misses scoring a touchdown, resulting in a heartbreaking loss for their team. Distraught, Tony breaks down in tears, but with support from his teammates, he is uplifted, and the audience begins to cheer for them. Jaycen, moved by their resolve, encourages the boys to honor the Colonels, but they vow to defeat them next year while he and Cherise appear to rekindle their relationship.

The closing text reveals that Snoop Dogg has established the Snoop Youth Football League, aimed at imparting values through football and teamwork. This initiative has successfully enrolled over 85,000 kids, with 20,000 moving on to college and 25 making it into the NFL.

Uncover the Details: Timeline, Characters, Themes, and Beyond!

Watch Trailers, Clips & Behind-the-Scenes for The Underdoggs

See more

Watch official trailers, exclusive clips, cast interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage from The Underdoggs. Dive deeper into the making of the film, its standout moments, and key production insights.


Official Trailer

Official RedBand Trailer

Movie Themes and Keywords

Discover the central themes, ideas, and keywords that define the movie’s story, tone, and message. Analyze the film’s deeper meanings, genre influences, and recurring concepts.


nflamerican footballfootballlawyouth

Similar Movies You Should Know About

Browse a curated list of movies similar in genre, tone, characters, or story structure. Discover new titles like the one you're watching, perfect for fans of related plots, vibes, or cinematic styles.


© 2025 What's After the Movie. All rights reserved.