Little Angels is Rated PG by the Motion Picture Rating (MPA) for mild language, some thematic elements about gender bias, and light slapstick sports action.

Little Angels (2025) Review

Little Angels, directed by and starring Dean Cain, is exactly the kind of movie you expect—and that’s not a bad thing. It’s the classic setup: flawed guy, group of kids, redemption, big game. You’ve seen it before, but it still hits the right notes.

Set in the world of college football and youth soccer, it sticks to every sports movie cliché, but there’s real heart behind it. Cain delivers a solid, sincere performance that makes it all land. Nothing groundbreaking—just a feel-good film that does its job.

The Story & What It Tries to Say

Jake Rogers (Cain) is a hot-headed Division a college football coach, riding high on wins and ego. But when he uses a female placekicker as a cheap publicity stunt and publicly mocks female athletes after she fails, he finds himself swiftly suspended by both the university and the NCAA.

His punishment? Not anger management. Not a public apology. No, he’s sentenced to the true crucible of character development: coaching a 12-year-old girls’ soccer team for the rest of the season. And not just any team—this is a group of girls who, let’s just say, couldn’t score even if the goal had legs and ran toward them.

That’s the setup. But the story beneath it is about second chances—how failure can be the beginning of something better. As Jake butts heads with the girls, the parents, and his own pride, the movie begins to ask bigger questions: What does leadership really mean? Why do we undervalue female athletes? And maybe most importantly—can people actually change?

Is it subtle? Not even a little. But it’s sincere, and that counts for something. The movie knows exactly what it is and what it wants to say, and it says it with a smile.

Performances & Characters

Dean Cain is clearly in his element here. He’s charming, arrogant, frustrated, and ultimately humbled—and he plays each beat with the kind of confidence that comes from years of living in this genre. His Jake is less a caricature and more a commentary on real-world sports figures who get lost in their own egos. Cain doesn’t ask us to love Jake right away—but he does earn it.

Helena Mattsson is a quiet standout as Charli Martin, the tough yet compassionate athletic director who assigns Jake to the team. She’s not just there to deliver exposition—her character has weight, backstory, and a sense of grounded authority that makes her scenes feel more than just setup.

And then there’s the team: a ragtag bunch of girls played by a diverse cast of young talent. Alex Jayne Go’s Tevy might be the emotional core of the group—quiet, strong, and deeply observant. Each player gets their moment to shine, and while not all performances are polished, they feel authentic. Their awkward energy actually helps sell the idea that they’re learning both the sport and themselves as the season progresses.

There’s a clear bond that develops between coach and team, and the film gives that room to grow naturally. No miraculous turnarounds overnight—just steady progress, painful losses, small victories, and the joy of unexpected connection.

High Recommended:

As a director, Cain doesn’t go flashy—but that’s not a criticism. The film has a straightforward, clean aesthetic, with bright, natural lighting and tight framing that keeps the focus on the characters. The soccer scenes are shot with just enough kinetic energy to keep them engaging, even if you’re not a sports fan.

What’s more impressive is the pacing. At under two hours, Little Angels manages to fit in a lot—Jake’s downfall, his reluctant redemption, individual team arcs, and the final match—without feeling rushed or bloated. Cain wisely avoids turning the movie into a sermon. Instead, it moves with the steady rhythm of a coach rebuilding both a team and himself.

And visually? There’s something disarmingly pleasant about the neighborhood fields, mismatched uniforms, and dusty practice sessions. It all feels real—relatable. This isn’t glossy, high-stakes sports. It’s grassroots. And that grounds the film in its emotional core.

Let’s talk about the comedy. It’s light, breezy, and yes—family-friendly. There are no laugh-out-loud gags here, but there are plenty of warm chuckles. Much of the humor comes from Jake trying to apply big-time coaching strategies to preteens who are more interested in TikTok than tactics.

There’s also an earnest approach to the sports sequences. The matches don’t become unrealistic spectacles. Instead, they stay small, grounded, even messy. The team’s evolution is slow and believable. You can feel every missed kick and cheer for every clumsy goal because the film invites you to root for effort, not perfection.

The heart of the genre is there: the transformation, the underdogs, the shared triumph. If you’re looking for the next Miracle or Remember the Titans, this isn’t that. But it’s a sweet, sincere reminder of why these stories resonate in the first place.

Little Angels 2025 Parents Guide

Language

There’s no profanity in the traditional sense—no f-bombs, no s-words, no crude locker room talk. That said, the film does have its share of sarcastic jabs and ego-fueled one-liners, especially early on when Jake Rogers (Dean Cain) is in full jerk mode. He makes a few dismissive comments about female athletes that, while clearly framed as offensive in the story, are still sharp enough to make younger viewers (and their parents) take notice.

Violence & Scary Content

There are no fights, no threats, and certainly no scary moments. The most “intense” scenes involve girls tripping over soccer balls, running into each other, or yelling in frustration on the field. It’s physical comedy through and through—like Home Alone meets peewee soccer.

If you’ve got a very sensitive little one who doesn’t like people yelling or crying, there are a couple of heated exchanges between Jake and the team early on. Nothing cruel—just emotionally charged moments where frustration boils over.

Sexual Content & Romantic Themes

There’s no nudity. No kissing. No romantic subplot beyond a few knowing glances between Jake and Charli (played with calm authority by Helena Mattsson). It’s refreshingly platonic and professional—for once, the adult characters are more interested in coaching and parenting than sneaking off to flirt in the bleachers.

Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking

Nope, nada, zilch. No beer cans, no background wine, not even a stressed-out coach reaching for a bottle. If this movie has a vice, it’s pride—and maybe a touch of caffeine-fueled coaching mania.

Final Thoughts & Recommendation

Little Angels isn’t going to change the face of sports movies. But it’s not trying to. What it offers instead is warmth, charm, and an unshakable belief in the power of growth—on and off the field.

For families, for kids with dreams bigger than their cleats, for anyone who’s ever needed a second shot to get it right—this one’s for you. It’s a movie with just enough grit to be real and just enough sweetness to be memorable.

Rating: 7.5/10