The Last Fall DVD was released on Tuesday, January 15th. The movie is the creation of former-NFL-player-turned-director Matthew Cherry and is based on Matthew’s life. Cherry spent time with several teams including the Baltimore Ravens. But this story begins when he was cut from an NFL team and returned home to put his life back together.
I had the opportunity to speak with Matthew about the film and current hot NFL topics relating to life after the gridiron.
Jill: What was your motivation in creating “The Last Fall” and how did you end up in entertainment?
MC: Getting into entertainment was always the goal once football was done. Everyone thinks that every NFL player is a millionaire. The NFL is the only professional sport that doesn’t have guaranteed contracts and the average player career is about 3 seasons. Only four percent of players have a career that lasts more than four seasons, which leaves 96% of the players that come into the league as a rookie, retired in their mid-twenties.
Jill: On that topic, there has been a lot in the media lately about athlete’s finances. We’ve all heard the statistics about NFL players going broke 2 years after they leave the league, do you feel that’s accurate.
MC: I don’t think athlete’s are any more irresponsible than the average african-american whose having money issues.
Jill: The NFL currently has player engagement programs that feature boot camps for the music and film industries. Were you ever involved in that program?
MC: I wish I had help, I came out here and started from scratch. It didn’t exist then but it’s good for the guys that are currently in the league.
Jill: Was that humbling coming from having a spot in the NFL to starting at the bottom in Hollywood?
MC: No because I had to survive.
Up next for Matthew, he’s working on his next feature and also has a web series. “Almost 30.” You can purchase your copy of “The Last Fall” everywhere, Redbox, Amazon, ITunes etc.
Matthew A. Cherry’s THE LAST FALL – On DVD & Digital Jan 15th!
When Kyle Bishop (Lance Gross) joined the NFL, he dreamed of a life of luxury that would allow him to provide for his family. But when an unexpected turn of events brings him back to his hometown, Kyle rediscovers the one true love he left behind. Long before professional football had become his passion, his high school sweetheart, Faith (Nicole Beharie) had been his whole world. Now, caught between the demands of the career he has always dreamed of and the single mother who has his heart, Kyle must make the most important decision of his life.
