Rise & Shine: The Jay DeMerit Story (2011)

How sad is this?

Admirable film.

A waste of 90 minutes of my life

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

This is the true story of an American kid that pursued his dream against all odds, and triumphed.The back story of this movie is that if it had not been for hundreds of soccer fans and friends of Jay - this movie would probably never have been produced. Over 1500 individuals donated over $223,000.00 in amounts ranging from $1 donations to $10,000 to ensure that this movie production was completed and distributed.You don't have to be a soccer enthusiast to see this movie - it is a story about perseverance and belief. The story is distinctly American.

Truly inspirational. A film for the whole family. Live the dream.Anyone with a dream should see this film. No matter what the dream, this will inspire you on ALL levels.The greatest joy of this film are the pictures of the young kids with smiles ear to ear... This is why it was made. The greatest part of the film is watching how it was made. It was made with the support of thousands of people who believed in the project and made it what it is today. This is rare in this day and age when the same films, by the same people/ studios, keep getting remade... If this film makes an impact on just one person, all the effort that went into is all worthwhile...

Rise and Shine: The Jay Demerit Story is a chronicle of the impossible journey of Jay Demerit. The movie takes you from Jay's humble beginnings in Green Bay Wisconsin to the top ranks of English football, the world cup, and professional soccer. Most people would have given up in the face of the adversities Jay encountered. However, Mr. Demerit's perseverance, hard work, and relentless pursuit of his dreams drove him from a substitute position in the English pub league to the English Premiere League. Throughout the movie, it becomes apparent that Jay had a lot of people that believed in him and supported him. Among his greatest supporters are Ranko Tutulugdzija and Nick Lewis who wrote and directed the movie and financed the film with their life savings, donations from the website kickstarter.com, and by going into debt. Zach Salsman was the cinematographer. Ranko, Nick, and Zach all deserve kudos for pulling together such a well structured, approachable, and entertaining movie. Jay's drive, passion, and humble personality likely influenced everyone to support him. These hero qualities make Jay a natural leader. If kids want to emulate a professional athlete, it should be Jay Demerit.This movie will be enjoyed by sporting enthusiast, families, and anyone that needs some inspiration in their lives. Many people in the United States are suffering from our recent economic decline, whether it is from lack of work, under pay, or stress from being over worked. Oddly, this movie is about the United States. We are facing rough times and issues that seem impossible to resolve. We were knocked down in 2008, but we need to get ourselves back up and realize our potential with support from our friends, families, and neighbors; just like Jay Demerit did with his life. This movie is exactly what we need to re-energize our spirits and face the adversities of day to day life. I recommend watching this movie a few times and bringing friends or family that are having a rough time or are facing challenges in their lives. I hope teenagers watch this movie and learns from Jay's personal qualities and tenacity.

My family had been looking forward to this film for a long time... It was worth the wait! Jay is truly an inspiration & an American icon! The film follows Jay Demerit on his journey to soccer greatness: playing, at first, for free in Sunday Pub Leagues, working his way up, eventually playing at the highest level in England & in the World Cup. Jay shows that through hard work & determination, all things are possible. He also "keeps it real" and describes how difficult things were at times. Jay is a great roll model for today's youth, showing that hard work & perseverance are worth the effort!Although this is a soccer story, it is also SO much more! This film will appeal to those who love documentaries, root for the underdog, love an inspirational story or anyone who believes that we should all follow our wildest dreams!!! Thank you Ranko, Nick, Jay & everyone else who made this documentary "the little film that could"! :)