The Mighty Macs

In this inspirational sports story based on actual events, a blonde Carla Gugino plays Cathy Rush, a former player who arrives at Philadelphia's Immaculata University, a Catholic institution, to coach the basketball team. It's 1971, and she wants to make a difference, an aspiration her NBA referee husband, Ed (David Boreanaz), doesn't understand, but Cathy is an unstoppable force. Unfortunately, the school is in terrible shape, but after scaring off a few girls who aren't accustomed to hard work, she finds willing players. Mother St. John (Ellen Burstyn) isn't able to help with new uniforms, so the team makes do with pleated jumpers. Due to a fire months before, the school doesn't even have a gym, so the girls clear out the rec room and Cathy finds an assistant in Sister Sunday (Marley Shelton), who has been questioning her calling (and played basketball in high school). As the team starts to rack up wins, Ed becomes more supportive of his wife's vocation, and even the other nuns start to take an interest. But Immaculata is in particularly dire financial straits when the team makes it to the state championships. Fortunately, they scrape together enough cash to send most of the players to Maryland, where they make their mark (and not for the last time). Gugino makes Rush believable, Shelton provides solid support, and the end credits nicely catch up with the real players. Recommended. (K. Fennessy)