“When the Game Stands Tall” is a predictable and all-too-familiar motion picture based on the true story of a high school football team coming off of an incredible win streak. This was a lackluster copy of the well-known movie adaptation of “Friday Night Lights” released in 2004.

A football drama about De La Salle, a California high school football team with the longest winning streak in sports history, has a lot going for it. But director Thomas Carter decided to pump the film full of every cliché known to the sports world.

I had no previous knowledge about De La Salle, though I have seen “Friday Night Lights.” Regardless, I was able to predict every up and down during the film.

Between 1992 and 2004, De La Salle accumulated a 151-game win streak. The film opens at the start of the 2004 season as that streak is broken. Typically, audiences want to root for an underdog, but despite the loss, De La Salle is still highly ranked in the national standings during that difficult year. Consequently, I doubt that most people will have the motivation to cheer for them.

As I am a football player, I believe the way Carter depicted the relationships between the players and the relationships between the players and the coaches were bland and uninspiring. “Never give up.” “Play for the man standing next to you.” “Winners never quit.” Where have I heard that before? Let me think…just in every sports drama to ever be released.

The film improves during its game-time action sequences, which were well filmed and quite thrilling. Carter did a nice job of showing how competitive and explosive football can be at that level.

As most of the audience will not be football players, the average viewer might see this film as well-rounded and may even learn the ins and outs of a high school football team. But, I’ll let you decide that on your own.