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In Football We Trust

Name: In Football We Trust
Director: Tony Vainuku, Erika Cohn
Released: 2015
Duration: 87 min

Representation Score

4.5/10

Fair

2015

Director

Tony Vainuku, Erika Cohn

Runtime

87 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

In Football We Trust is a specialized ethnographic work that succeeds through its deep, authentic centering of the Pacific Islander community. By providing unprecedented access to Polynesian men in Utah, it moves beyond including someone from a minority group without giving them real depth to explore the complexities of the immigrant experience and the 'culture clash' of navigating Western societal expectations. However, the film's impact is limited by its narrow demographic focus. The heavy emphasis on hyper-masculine football culture and traditional patriarchal roles results in low scores for gender and LGBTQ+ representation. The narrative structure relies on straight-centered assumptions, leaving little room for diverse identities. Ultimately, the documentary is a powerful study of post-colonial identity and ethnic ability to act, even if it remains confined to a specific, traditional social ecosystem.

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Category Breakdown

Does In Football We Trust have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film focuses on hyper-masculine athletic environments and traditional communal structures, with no representation of LGBTQ+ identities. The story revolves around straight relationships and athletic brotherhood.

How does In Football We Trust portray gender?

Limited

The narrative emphasizes traditional patriarchal hierarchies, focusing almost exclusively on male athletes. It reinforces roles where men serve as the primary economic and social pillars for their families.

How racially and ethnically diverse is In Football We Trust?

Excellent

This documentary excels by centering the Polynesian experience in Salt Lake City. It provides actively leading representation, allowing subjects to drive the narrative through their own cultural nuances and struggles.

How does In Football We Trust represent religion and culture?

Good

The film explores the friction between Polynesian values and American meritocratic pressures. It depicts religious and family structures as vital anchors amidst systemic challenges like poverty and gang violence.

Does In Football We Trust include disability representation?

Minimal

The film lacks a significant focus on visible or invisible disabilities. The narrative remains centered on physical athleticism and socioeconomic mobility.

Present on Screen

Provides actively leading, authentic representation of underrepresented Polynesian communities.
Offers a nuanced look at the tension between traditional heritage and American capitalist pressures.
Moves beyond including someone from a minority group without giving them real depth by allowing subjects to drive the narrative through their own cultural complexities.

Limited or Absent

Lacks representation of LGBTQ+ identities within the community.
Reinforces traditional gender hierarchies by focusing almost exclusively on male achievement.
Provides little visibility for individuals with disabilities or neurodivergent perspectives.

Official Synopsis

‘In Football We Trust’ captures a snapshot in time amid the rise of the Pacific Islander presence in the NFL. Presenting a new take on the American immigrant story, this feature length documentary transports viewers deep inside the tightly-knit Polynesian community in Salt Lake City, Utah. With unprecedented access and shot over a four-year time period, the film intimately portrays four young Polynesian men striving to overcome gang violence and near poverty through American football. Viewed as the "salvation" for their families, these young players reveal the culture clash they experience as they transform out of their adolescence and into the high stakes world of collegiate recruiting and rigors of societal expectations.

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