Steve Zahn absolutely nailed his character and put up one of his best performances, if not the best performance, of his career. Frost and Lombardo were also very good in their roles. They each carried the emotions and subtleties of their characters respective lives and life choices to realistic and believable levels. The supporting cast were also excellent.
Calvin Marshall transcended your typical sports film to convey the choices we all face in life when it comes to following our dreams, our talents, and what is important in our life. It's not a fairytale story, or the story of the kid from the wrong side of the tracks overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds, or the story of the washed up veteran making an improbable comeback, this is the story of everyman.