Devon Graye & John Cena in the movie Legendary

"The smell of the mat never leaves ya."

So says World Wrestling Entertainment superstar John Cena, playing a former high school champ who lost his way in the new WWE-produced movie "Legendary."

 

That line is easily the most pungent in a generally bland bid for inspirational family drama, directed by Mel Damski and written by John Posey. Like the Little League heart warmer "The Perfect Game," which came and went earlier this year, "Legendary" is so intent on paying heartfelt tribute to dogged young athletes that it neglects basic story needs.

While Cena has a major role, the key character -- the former champ's 15-year-old brother, who wants to wrestle in his brother's footsteps -- is played by a good young actor, Devon Graye. We're in small-town Oklahoma, where the bullies never quit and, luckily for young Cal, a surrogate father (his real one died in a car crash) appears in the guise of Danny Glover as Red. This fellow dispenses voice-over narration ("They call it ... the Sooner State") and acts as a sounding board ("Wanna share some of those heavy thoughts you're carryin'?"). It's hard to make that sort of material sound like life, or even effective corn.

And yet Patricia Clarkson manages it every second she's on screen. As the widowed mother of two sons, one who looks like an Okie Harry Potter and the other a big block of cement, she conducts an acting seminar running parallel to the film itself. What a wonderful and easy-breathing performer she is! She can make hay out of the most florid cameo, as in "Shutter Island," as easily as she can flesh out a piece of cardboard, which she does here.

 

MPAA rating: PG-13 (for suggestive material, brief partial nudity and some fighting scenes).

Running time: 1:47.

Cast: Devon Graye (Cal); John Cena (Mike); Patricia Clarkson (Sharon); Danny Glover (Harry "Red" Newman); Madeleine Martin (Luli).

Credits: Directed by Mel Damski; written by John Posey; produced by Mike Pavone and Dave Calloway. A Samuel Goldwyn Films release.

Legendary Movie Review - Devon Graye & John Cena