Kevin James' New Netflix Movie Is Already a Huge Success

By Daniel S. Levine

Kevin James' new Netflix movie, which turns the New Orleans Saints' Bountygate scandal into the subject of a family movie, is already a hit for the streaming service. Home Team was released on Friday, Jan. 28 and held the number one spot on Netflix's Top 10 Movies in the U.S. Today chart over the weekend. The movie also earned high spots in several other countries, according to FlixPatrol.

Home Team stars James as Sean Payton, who returns to his hometown to coach his 12-year-old son's Pop Warner football team, just three years after he coached the New Orleans Saints to a Super Bowl XLIV victory. However, the reason why Payton was in his hometown in the first place isn't exactly the subject for a family comedy. Payton was suspended for the entire 2012 season after the Saints were accused of paying players "bounties" for injuring opposing players from 2009 to 2011. In addition to Payton's suspension, the Saints faced a $500,000 fine, forfeited two draft picks, and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, general manager Mickey Loomis, and assistant head coach Joe Vitt also faced suspensions. Four players were also suspended, but those suspensions were overturned.

Aside from James, Home Team also features Taylor Lautner, Rob Schneider, Jackie Sandler, Gary Valentine, Chloe Fineman and Jared Sandler. Sportscaster Dan Patrick has a cameo appearance as himself. Payton has a cameo appearance as well. In April 2021, journalist Peter King reported that Payton read the script and made some changes before production began.

In a recent interview with Nola.com, James admitted that he "couldn't disagree" with critics who critics who pointed out that he bears little resemblance to the real Payton. "Whether we're the same pants size, me and Sean – we're not; he's unfortunately a little smaller than I am, and that annoyed me," he said.

James' wig and visor helped him look a little more like the Saints coach, but it was getting down Payton's mannerisms that was more important. "Hopefully, I fade away a little bit in that and you just go, 'OK, it's just the character of a coach that's taking this team to the championship,' and you kind of forget," James said.

The movie was directed by Charles and Daniel Kinnane, and written by Chris Titone and Keith Blum. Adam Sandler's Happy Madison Productions produced the movie, which explains why members of the Sandler family star in the movie. Sandy Wexler, Hubie Halloween, and Grown Ups, which star both James and Sandler, are also available on Netflix. 

James also stars in True Memoirs of the International Assassin, Monster House, The Crew, and Here Comes the Boom, which are now on Netflix, as are his comedy specials Never Don't Give Up and Swear the Small Stuff. Unfortunately, James fans need a Peacock subscription to watch his hit sitcom The King of Queens.  

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