Well acted and directed with an easily followed story and believable characters. The motivations of some of the characters are not explored, giving a somewhat cardboard feel to them (primarily the football coach and the principal) but the performances by Reed and Clarke make up for this. Dialogue may seem contrived at times, though one has to remember that the film is about teenagers. Overall the story is a little predictable and perhaps even routine, but I would still rate it above average for being interesting and having engaging and sympathetic characters (on one side of the argument at any rate). Will appeal to those with simple tastes; those wanting a courtroom thriller with lots of twists and turns should go elsewhere.