Rebound is a good example of the mediocre product so readily available at the movies. It's just sort of nothing at all really, a pleasant and forgettable 90 minutes of ... whatever.

This inoffensive basketball story is all about learning to be part of a team; it's like the goofy version of Coach Carter. (Anyone who saw Coach Carter can appreciate how a goofy version might be preferable, but that's another story.)

Martin Lawrence stars in Rebound as Coach Roy, a hotshot college coach who no longer bothers coaching his basketball players -- he just watches over his own endorsements and earnings.

He is rude and aggressive on the court and off, and when his behaviour gets totally out of control he gets punished. He winds up having to coach kids of 13 and 14 at a middle school.

You can write the rest of the story yourself. The kids start out as losers and bad ball players, Lawrence at first ignores them and then reluctantly teaches them to be good players, they start winning, their self-esteem goes up, Lawrence gets a new lease on life and appreciates what's important and blah, blah, blah.

What distinguishes Rebound from other movies near the bottom of the heap is the cast -- the young actors in this thing give the film all of its appeal. Playing the basketball hopefuls are Oren Williams, Eddy Martin, Steven C. Parker, the ubiquitous Steven Anthony Lawrence, Logan McElroy, Gus Hoffman and, as "Big Mac" the tough girl who gets on the team, Tara Correa-McMullen.

The movie has a flat pace with few ups or downs, but the humour and endearing bits come courtesy of these kids. Otherwise, Rebound is just an okay time-waster. On the count-your-blessings front, we should add that it's available in an air-conditioned atmosphere. And that's about it.

(This film is rated G)
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