Touchback

Touchback is a 2011 American sports film written and directed by Don Handfield. It stars Brian Presley, Melanie Lynskey, Kurt Russell and Christine Lahti. It premiered on home video in Finland and Sweden on September 28, 2011, and had a limited theatrical run in the United States the following year. The film received mixed reviews from critics. Plot Scott Murphy is a former high school football hero. An injury he received during the Ohio State High School Championship game terminated his scholarship to Ohio State University and his dreams of a professional career in football. It has been twenty years since that game and Scott still resides with his family in the quiet town of Coldwater, Ohio. He has a splinted leg and has been a farmer and volunteer firefighter since high school. Rather than marrying the head cheerleader, Scott marries and has two daughters with a clarinet-playing band member named Macy. A compromised harvest and bank obligations have caused a strain on his farm, which he is in jeopardy of losing. With bad luck around every corner, Scott is not mentally prepared for the game in which he will be honored (in a halftime ceremony), and the return of his good friend Hall who made the NFL and married Scott's old high school girlfriend only adds to the depression he is feeling. An early frost and a broken soybean header bring Scott to the brink. His wife, Macy, suggests that they could pick the soybeans by hand in order to bring them to market. Scott finds this far-fetched since there are 200 acres to combine (harvest). He decides to kill himself via carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in his truck. As he passes out, Scott wakes up back in 1991, on the eve of the big game. Scott embraces his return, as he is able to spend time with his hard-working mother. One last recruiting meeting with scouts from OSU enlightens Scott as the scout admits the game will be hard, and that if he so chooses, sitting out will not impact his invitation to joining the quarterback unit at OSU. Scott introduces himself to Macy and tries to share with her what is happening with him. With the championship game upon him, he informs Coach Hand (played by Kurt Russell) that he will not play in the big game which will undo the events which have directly led to his pain and misery. Coach offers a speech about the merits of the people of Coldwater.