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12 Mighty Orphans

Movie ID: 759

RT slug: 12_mighty_orphans

RT URL: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/12_mighty_orphans

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Release year: 2021

Runtime: 118 mins

Wide release date: 2021-06-18

Limited release date: 2021-06-11

Festival premiere date:

Streaming release date:

Tomatometer final: 62%

Audience score final:

Genres: Drama, History

Directors: Ty Roberts

Writers: Kevin Meyer, Lane Garrison, Ty Roberts

Producers: Angelique De Luca, Brinton Bryan, Houston Hill, Michael De Luca

MPAA rating: PG-13

Executive Producers:

Created: 2026-06-15 17:18:34

Updated: 2026-06-15 17:18:34

Synopsis

During the Great Depression, a devoted football coach leads a team of orphans from Fort Worth to unexpected success and national attention.

Consensus

Latest Snapshot / Canonical Review Totals

Canonical reviews: 85

Canonical fresh: 53

Canonical rotten: 32

Canonical calculated Tomatometer: 62%

Latest snapshot UTC: 2026-06-15 16:41:33

Snapshot Tomatometer: 62%

Snapshot review count: 85

Snapshot fresh count: 53

Snapshot rotten count: 32

Source note: Imported from manual review paste batch #1319 (full_snapshot)

Companies

Company Role
Sony Pictures Classics distributor

Cast

Billing Name Character
1 Luke Wilson Rusty Russell
2 Vinessa Shaw Juanita Russell
3 Wayne Knight Frank Wynn
4 Jake Austin Walker Hardy Brown
5 Robert Duvall Mason Hawk

Movie Import Batches

Batch ID Status Mode Created Notes
775 processed 2026-06-15 17:18:34 Processed successfully into movie_id=759 using update_mode=merge_non_empty.

Review Import Batches

Batch ID Local Snapshot UTC Snapshot Entered % Entered Count Status Notes
1319 2026-06-15 11:41:00 (America/Panama) 2026-06-15 16:41:33 62% 85 processed Mode=full_snapshot. Processed 85 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=85, fresh=53, rotten=32, tomatometer=62%. Net new reviews added=85, fresh=53, rotten=32. Current canonical totals=85 reviews, 53 fresh, 32 rotten, tomatometer=62% (62.353%). Entered review count matched parsed batch count (85). Entered tomatometer matched parsed batch value (62%).

Latest Canonical Reviews (max 100)

ID Critic Outlet Fresh? Score RT Time Raw Approx Published UTC Quote
172503 Graeme Tuckett The Post NZ Fresh 2023-09-25T17:26:05Z 2023-09-25 17:26:05 If formulaic sports movies based-on-true-stories are your bag, you'll enjoy 12 Mighty Orphans just fine.
172504 David Gonzalez The Cinematic Reel Fresh 3/4 2023-01-31T14:11:29Z 2023-01-31 14:11:29 12 Mighty Orphans is a welcomed addition to the sports film genre. It is a feel-good indie film that is sure to find its audience with its performances and overall message of hope.
172505 M.N. Miller Ready Steady Cut Fresh 3.5/5 2022-10-09T17:34:57Z 2022-10-09 17:34:57 12 Mighty Orphans is a ragamuffin to Texas football glory tale that’s a welcome surprise. Ty Robert’s film earns its “incredible” true story tagline.
172506 Tom O'Brien Next Best Picture Rotten 4/10 2022-06-15T19:59:56Z 2022-06-15 19:59:56 Football? Orphans? Why this movie could practically write itself! And if it did, it would probably do a better job than this one's trio of screenwriters.
172507 Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Rotten 2/4 2022-06-15T00:53:53Z 2022-06-15 00:53:53 On paper (and in history), it's an inspirational story, but the filmmakers never figure out how to make the movie sing on its own.
172508 Carson Timar ButteredPopcorn Fresh C+ 2022-02-12T05:14:45Z 2022-02-12 05:14:45 12 Mighty Orphans is ultimately a competent sports drama that for fans of the genre will more than likely engage and impress.
172509 Michael Clark Epoch Times Fresh 3.5/5 2021-10-25T00:40:13Z 2021-10-25 00:40:13 The fact-based 'Orphans' benefits greatly from its rough-hewn edges, period-appropriate, sepia-drenched cinematography, and its celebration of a game not played for riches or fame. It's an underdog feel-good piece lacking artifice or forced uplift.
172510 Aine O'Connor Sunday Independent (Ireland) Fresh 3/5 2021-09-24T00:20:35Z 2021-09-24 00:20:35 Despite some violent scenes, overall it is a heartwarming watch that tweens especially might enjoy.
172511 Matthew Bond The Mail on Sunday (UK) Rotten 2/5 2021-09-19T15:20:07Z 2021-09-19 15:20:07 Proved too sentimental for me and something of a waste of a cast, led by Luke Wilson and Martin Sheen. Shame.
172512 Brian Viner Daily Mail (UK) Rotten 2/5 2021-09-17T12:10:20Z 2021-09-17 12:10:20 The film never rises above the quality of one of those cornily saccharine made-for-TV Disney features that used to be confined to Sunday teatimes.
172513 Mariana Fernández Butaca Ancha Fresh 3/5 2021-09-07T18:20:18Z 2021-09-07 18:20:18 With a classical approach ... it does not take enough advantage of the historical context in which it takes place. [Full Review in Spanish]
172514 Audrey Fox We Live Entertainment Rotten 2021-08-21T02:10:11Z 2021-08-21 02:10:11 12 Mighty Orphans fails to capitalize on its potential instead of languishing as a run-of-the-mill sports story with little to make it stand out.
172515 Anne Brodie What She Said Fresh 2021-08-10T20:30:12Z 2021-08-10 20:30:12 Ty Roberts's tribute to the boys and their captain, orphanage teacher Rusty Russell, warms the heart and sparks hope, dipping its toe into sentimentality.
172516 Chris Knight National Post Rotten 2/5 2021-08-06T17:00:11Z 2021-08-06 17:00:11 We don't want to reinvent the game so we're going to use some standard plays.
172517 Brad Wheeler Globe and Mail Fresh 2021-08-05T14:00:10Z 2021-08-05 14:00:10 Who could resist a Depression-era sports drama involving Texas orphans and a gentle, do-gooder head football coach named Rusty Russell?
172518 Richard Crouse Richard Crouse Fresh 3/5 2021-08-05T12:10:05Z 2021-08-05 12:10:05 Twelve Mighty Orphans is a feel-good film light on surprises but heavy on inspiration. It's predictable and old-fashioned, but it undeniably has its heart in the right place: right on its sleeve.
172519 Laura Hiros Rincón de cine Fresh 4/5 2021-08-04T22:10:13Z 2021-08-04 22:10:13 Well worth its time. [Full review in Spanish]
172520 Liam Lacey Original Cin Rotten 2021-08-04T21:30:17Z 2021-08-04 21:30:17 The blanket boosterism in this simplistic inspirational sports story obscures some uncomfortable details.
172521 Peter Gray The AU Review Fresh 3/5 2021-08-03T07:30:06Z 2021-08-03 07:30:06 Presents a story we've seen before (and done better) but it's difficult to not be a little swept up in its honest intentions.
172522 Benjamin Gummery Indie Mac User Fresh 3/5 2021-07-28T22:00:16Z 2021-07-28 22:00:16 Roberts has achieved a charming, stand-out & feel-good film that has the potential to sit among the best sports underdog stories.
172523 Carissa Pavlica TV Fanatic Fresh 3.75/5 2021-07-18T21:30:07Z 2021-07-18 21:30:07 Roberts' solid direction gives 12 Mighty Orphans a slightly grittier Disney-esque feel.
172524 Rachel Wagner rachelsreviews.net Fresh 5.5/10 2021-07-17T22:40:07Z 2021-07-17 22:40:07 The script is frustratingly pedestrian especially when you consider the quality of the cast, but the story is so inspirational it overcomes the problems.
172525 Evan Dossey Midwest Film Journal Rotten 2021-07-16T13:40:10Z 2021-07-16 13:40:10 Brings nothing new to the inspirational sports fable.
172526 Mathew DeKinder Mat's Entertainment Fresh 2.5/5 2021-07-14T21:30:14Z 2021-07-14 21:30:14 "12 Mighty Orphans" winds up being enjoyable and inspiring almost in spite of itself, proving that sometimes you can actually get by on a little pluck and determination.
172527 Federico Furzan Movie-Blogger.com Fresh 3.5/5 2021-07-13T21:50:18Z 2021-07-13 21:50:18 An honest and grounded story about underdogs doing their best. 12 Mighty Orphans is sweet enough to be a notable addition to the sports movies catalog.
172528 Linda Cook OurQuadCities / WHBF-TV (Illinois) Fresh 3.5/4 2021-07-08T20:30:32Z 2021-07-08 20:30:32 It gives audiences dozens of reasons to cheer.
172529 Jackie K. Cooper jackiekcooper.com Fresh 6/10 2021-07-06T17:00:09Z 2021-07-06 17:00:09 With a little bit of fine tuning on the emotional front, and a stirring musical score, this could have been an even better film.
172530 Tom Meek Cambridge Day Rotten 2/4 2021-06-28T20:20:07Z 2021-06-28 20:20:07 As a result, we never really get to know the mighty 12, which doesn't give the underdog story much timber to ignite...
172531 Rick Bentley KGET-TV (Bakersfield, CA) Fresh 3.5/4 2021-06-25T23:00:18Z 2021-06-25 23:00:18 There hasn't been a sports film since the 1986 release of Hoosiers that has so beautifully blended the natural drama of sports with the unpredictability of the human spirit.
172532 Jason Fraley WTOP (Washington, D.C.) Fresh 3.5/5 2021-06-25T13:00:11Z 2021-06-25 13:00:11 "12 Mighty Orphans" embraces old-fashioned storytelling to overcome its hokey moments with underdog inspiration.
172533 Cary Darling Houston Chronicle Fresh 3/5 2021-06-24T14:50:11Z 2021-06-24 14:50:11 It's an up-from-struggle story tailor-made for an old-fashioned, family-friendly, earnest, feel-good movie, and that's exactly what Roberts delivers,
172534 Sean P. Means The Movie Cricket Rotten 2.5/4 2021-06-23T23:30:12Z 2021-06-23 23:30:12 There are some curious embellishments, like a cameo by Robert Duvall, comedian Ron White as the local sheriff, a turn by Treat Williams as a prominent sportswriter, and even scenes involving Franklin Roosevelt (Larry Pine).
172535 Peter Canavese Celluloid Dreams Rotten 2/4 2021-06-23T17:50:14Z 2021-06-23 17:50:14 Good direction, a sturdy script with some old-fashioned movie classicism and incredible production design barely compensate for what is essentially a cornball narrative. Strictly for football fans and tween and teen boys.
172536 Tania Lamb Lola Lambchops Fresh 3.5/5 2021-06-23T15:00:10Z 2021-06-23 15:00:10 This one's for the underdogs. And the cornballs.
172537 Peter Rainer FilmWeek (LAist) Rotten 2021-06-22T01:30:14Z 2021-06-22 01:30:14 12 Mighty Orphans and 1,200 not-so-mighty clichés.
172538 Lael Loewenstein FilmWeek (LAist) Fresh 2021-06-22T01:30:13Z 2021-06-22 01:30:13 In the genre of the inspirational sports movie. I tend to fall for that... It was okay.
172539 Micheal Compton Bowling Green Daily News Rotten C 2021-06-21T22:20:09Z 2021-06-21 22:20:09 It all chugs along competently with Wilson, Sheen and the young cast perfectly fine. The problem though is director Ty Roberts films this pretty much in autopilot -- borrowing from a lot of superior sports films.
172540 Dan Lybarger Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Fresh 80/100 2021-06-21T20:50:50Z 2021-06-21 20:50:50 Ty Roberts' new adaptation often plays as if he had a checklist of football movie cliches to follow, but this recounting... features enough genuine triumphs over adversity to melt the hearts of an army of cynics.
172541 Adam Graham Detroit News Rotten C 2021-06-21T07:00:05Z 2021-06-21 07:00:05 "12 Mighty Orphans" tries so hard to be inspirational that it trips itself up on its way out to the field. Great story, but the telling is second-string.
172542 Jonathan W. Hickman The Newnan Times-Herald Fresh 7/10 2021-06-20T15:10:06Z 2021-06-20 15:10:06 Made on a small budget and edited during our struggle with the COVID pandemic, it's a handsomely made, powerful tale.
172543 Carla Hay Culture Mix Fresh 2021-06-19T01:20:14Z 2021-06-19 01:20:14 Unapologetically sentimental and earnest, 12 Mighty Orphans is the type of movie that embraces its hokey tropes and ends up being a charming story ... [even though other] underdog sports movies have covered the same territory in a similar way.
172544 Gary M. Kramer Salon.com Rotten 2021-06-19T00:10:21Z 2021-06-19 00:10:21 "12 Mighty Orphans" is a feel-good football film. It's just not very good. But at times, it is good enough.
172545 Austin Burke Austin Burke/Flick Fan Nation Fresh 6/10 2021-06-18T23:10:17Z 2021-06-18 23:10:17 12 Mighty Orphans is not game-changing in any way, but the movie is full of heart and good intentions.
172546 Robert Denerstein Denerstein Unleashed Rotten 2021-06-18T22:20:14Z 2021-06-18 22:20:14 The movie's not just old-fashioned; it's just plain old.
172547 Matt Conway Battle Royale With Cheese Rotten 2021-06-18T20:50:13Z 2021-06-18 20:50:13 12 Mighty Orphans never escapes the stench of after-school special melodrama.
172548 Bill Newcott Movies For The Rest Of Us Fresh 4/5 2021-06-18T19:00:12Z 2021-06-18 19:00:12 Football often inspires... movies that could reduce a mad-dog lineman to a blubbering softie. Add to that list...12 Mighty Orphans. It's football - and orphans!
172549 Dominic Griffin Looper.com Fresh 2021-06-18T18:10:08Z 2021-06-18 18:10:08 ...with an engaged cast and a lot of sincerity, what could have been another in a long line of interchangeable sports movies ends up being a sweet, emotionally nourishing picture that will wet even the driest and most jaded eyes in the house.
172550 Sarah Boslaugh TheArtsStl Rotten 5/10 2021-06-18T14:10:08Z 2021-06-18 14:10:08 ... a machine to deliver predictable and unchallenging emotional experiences to the audience.
172551 Bob Bloom Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN) Fresh 2.5/4 2021-06-18T04:00:07Z 2021-06-18 04:00:07 '12 Mighty Orphans' could have been a Warner Bros. B-movie if produced in the late 1930s or early 1940s, probably with Ronald Reagan starring as Russell and the Dead End Kids as members of the team.
172552 Charles Koplinski Reel Talk with Chuck and Pam Fresh 3.0/4.0 2021-06-18T03:10:08Z 2021-06-18 03:10:08 Yes, the film is predictible yet the veteran cast, which also includes Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall, Treat Williams and Wayne Knight, finds the proper tone to drive home the movie's inspirational message without overselling it.
172553 Pamela Powell Reel Honest Reviews Fresh 3/4 2021-06-18T01:10:10Z 2021-06-18 01:10:10 "12 Mighty Orphans" is a familiar story with its own unique elements reminding us of the definition of family in its truest form.
172554 Noel Murray Los Angeles Times Fresh 2021-06-17T23:31:45Z 2021-06-17 23:31:45 Nothing that happens in "12 Mighty Orphans" is unexpected, but these two pros still react with infectious wonder as the messages they send to their students take root and then sprout.
172555 Mark Dujsik Mark Reviews Movies Fresh 3/4 2021-06-17T23:31:44Z 2021-06-17 23:31:44 There is ... a real sincerity to the storytelling here -- a homegrown fable ... with an easy but moving lesson about having faith in others and oneself.
172557 Ben Kenigsberg New York Times Rotten 2021-06-17T20:04:00Z 2021-06-17 20:04:00 A plodding football drama in which the characters talk to one another like folksy social workers.
172556 Tom Santilli Movie Show Plus Rotten C+ 2021-06-17T20:04:00Z 2021-06-17 20:04:00 ...a period football film that does nothing to further the genre, but one that might satisfy those who find themselves suckers for this brand of melodrama.
172558 Peter Debruge Variety Fresh 2021-06-17T20:03:55Z 2021-06-17 20:03:55 "12 Mighty Orphans" manages to subvert a few of the expected clichés to reasonably original effect, and the ensemble of lesser-known young actors is across-the-board strong.
172560 Edward Douglas The Weekend Warrior (Substack) Fresh 2021-06-17T20:03:50Z 2021-06-17 20:03:50 One of those sports movies that tries to win audiences over by not veering too far from what has worked previously.
172559 Jim Judy Screen It! Fresh 5/10 2021-06-17T20:03:50Z 2021-06-17 20:03:50 Okay, but held back by some cinematic penalties.
172561 Joanna Langfield The Movie Minute Fresh 2021-06-16T22:30:34Z 2021-06-16 22:30:34 There's no fancy footwork here, unless you count the plays on the field, but, like the underdog football players it portrays, this little movie wins us over with old fashioned grit and heart.
172562 Brian Orndorf Blu-ray.com Rotten C 2021-06-16T17:30:13Z 2021-06-16 17:30:13 Roberts gets carried away with his depictions of good and evil, transforming the endeavor into a cartoon at times, unwilling to pull back when it comes to a balanced understanding of gridiron glory and individual strife.
172563 Randy Myers San Jose Mercury News Fresh 3/4 2021-06-16T17:00:09Z 2021-06-16 17:00:09 If you're looking for an old-fashioned sports drama, this is it.
172564 Christopher Lloyd The Film Yap Rotten 3/5 2021-06-16T13:00:13Z 2021-06-16 13:00:13 This inspiring, true(y) story of a Depression-era football team of orphaned boys plays earnest as all hell, but scores no points of originality.
172565 Sarah Manvel Critic's Notebook Fresh 2021-06-16T08:00:06Z 2021-06-16 08:00:06 You'd need a heart of stone not to laugh from start to finish. What a tremendously fun and brainless film.
172566 Leo Brady AMovieGuy.com Rotten 2/4 2021-06-16T04:00:07Z 2021-06-16 04:00:07 There's no energy. No laughter. And the football is pedestrian. 12 Mighty Orphans is one great depression.
172567 Nell Minow Movie Mom Fresh B 2021-06-16T02:00:32Z 2021-06-16 02:00:32 Even though there are moments of intense emotion and struggle, Roberts maintains a quiet, deliberate tone.
172568 Sandie Angulo Chen Common Sense Media Rotten 2/5 2021-06-15T22:50:40Z 2021-06-15 22:50:40 This corny underdog football drama has decent performances but doesn't quite live up to the inspiring history lesson or deep character study it could have been.
172569 Michael O'Sullivan Washington Post Rotten 2/4 2021-06-15T19:18:57Z 2021-06-15 19:18:57 The story proceeds in expected melodramatic fashion.
172570 Jared Mobarak The Film Stage Fresh B- 2021-06-15T19:18:55Z 2021-06-15 19:18:55 [The adults'] compassion towards these boys is a piece; the boys' evolution is the puzzle. And to that end 12 Mighty Orphans is pretty darn effective.
172571 Nate Adams The Only Critic Rotten D 2021-06-15T19:18:54Z 2021-06-15 19:18:54 "12 Mighty Orphans" doesn't so much explore its titular characters but writes them as bland stereotypes without much room to grow.
172572 Carla Renata RogerEbert.com Fresh 2021-06-14T22:30:31Z 2021-06-14 22:30:31 Not a fan of football, but a fan of overcoing adversity , which is exactly what this "dirty dozen" orphans accomplish under the guidance of Rusty Russell. It's a feel good story delivered at exactly the right time
172573 Pete Hammond Deadline Hollywood Daily Fresh 2021-06-14T20:00:54Z 2021-06-14 20:00:54 In the cynical exploitative social media-driven world we live in, this true story of a good and decent man and his ragtag football team of orphans is positively quaint and out of place, but somehow comforting in all it represents of an America long ago.
172574 Travis Hopson Punch Drunk Critics Fresh 2.5/5 2021-06-14T12:30:07Z 2021-06-14 12:30:07 Just crosses the goal line for those who want some feel-good with their field goals.
172575 Richard Propes TheIndependentCritic.com Fresh 3.0/4.0 2021-06-14T00:50:04Z 2021-06-14 00:50:04 12 Mighty Orphans is entertaining from beginning to end.
172576 Christian Toto HollywoodInToto.com Fresh 2.5/4 2021-06-13T17:50:07Z 2021-06-13 17:50:07 Flaws abound in this fact-based drama, but so does the power of self worth.
172577 Andy Crump The Playlist Fresh C+ 2021-06-12T14:30:08Z 2021-06-12 14:30:08 "12 Mighty Orphans" winds up caught between plucky sports underdog film and sentimental biopic.
172578 Joey Magidson Awards Radar Fresh 3/4 2021-06-12T08:30:04Z 2021-06-12 08:30:04 12 Mighty Orphans may not be particularly original in many ways, but the execution proves its effectiveness and worthiness.
172579 Todd Jorgenson Cinemalogue Rotten 2021-06-12T04:50:04Z 2021-06-12 04:50:04 This underdog saga embellishes and sanitizes some of the true-life details while tugging too aggressively at the heartstrings.
172580 Joe Friar The Victoria Advocate Fresh 3.5/4 2021-06-11T18:40:09Z 2021-06-11 18:40:09 You'll stand up and cheer as the inspirational film directed by Ty Roberts captures your heart with a story as big as Texas.
172581 Carlos Aguilar RogerEbert.com Rotten 2/4 2021-06-11T14:50:06Z 2021-06-11 14:50:06 Football fans, or those longing for bygone days of old timey sayings and men with conventional character, may find enjoyment in the film's spelled out structure. Others will be at the mercy of its barrage of inspiration, devoid of insight.
172582 Preston Barta Denton Record-Chronicle Fresh 3/5 2021-06-11T00:00:06Z 2021-06-11 00:00:06 It succeeds primarily as a story of a chapter in history - one that shows how a coach and a team arrived at a conclusion and acted on it, helping change the game and its community forever. Sometimes, you can't help but get romantic about it all.
172583 Robert Kojder Flickering Myth Rotten 2/5 2021-06-10T20:40:10Z 2021-06-10 20:40:10 Almost as quickly as the film positions itself as something potentially interesting, it immediately announces itself as a trope-filled underdog story
172584 Jenny Nulf Austin Chronicle Rotten 1/5 2021-06-10T20:20:09Z 2021-06-10 20:20:09 The script is littered with misogynistic locker room talk, from the use of "ladies" as an insult, to immediately objectifying Vinessa Shaw, who plays Russell's wife Juanita, as soon as she appears on screen.
172585 Frank Swietek One Guy's Opinion Rotten C 2021-06-10T19:30:12Z 2021-06-10 19:30:12 If you can tolerate a heaping helping of corn, this Texas-bred David-vs-Goliath football saga could be to your taste despite its formulaic bent.
172586 Alex Bentley CultureMap Rotten 2021-06-10T18:50:06Z 2021-06-10 18:50:06 The decision to compress and exaggerate the success of the Mighty Mites into one season proves fateful for 12 Mighty Orphans. A story that should have been simple is made needlessly complicated by filmmakers who tried to overreach.
172587 Peter Martin ScreenAnarchy Fresh 3.5/5.0 2021-06-10T16:20:05Z 2021-06-10 16:20:05 Revives a long-lost story of a team of undermanned young people coached by outstanding adults ... all told in a wholesome, upbuilding manner.

Showing the latest 100 canonical reviews for this movie.