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By Valerie Milano
Palm Springs, CA (The Hollywood Times) 6/25/26 – Sometimes the biggest battles in life happen on the smallest courts.
In Four Square, writer-director Eli Staub transforms a familiar elementary school pastime into an exhilarating coming-of-age sports comedy that captures the emotional highs and crushing lows of childhood with surprising authenticity. What could have been a simple nostalgic comedy instead becomes an affectionate look at friendship, growing up, and the lessons learned long before adulthood.
“I basically pulled every single detail that ended up in this film from personal experience,” Staub shared during our interview. He recalled that in elementary school, “the entire hierarchy of who you were… came directly from how good at the game of Foursquare you were.” That deeply personal connection gives the film an honesty that resonates whether you grew up playing the game or not.
The film’s greatest strength lies in its sincerity. Rather than making fun of childhood drama, Four Square embraces it. The stakes may seem small to adults, but through the eyes of fifth graders, they feel monumental. Staub wisely leans into that perspective, creating a story that is funny while never mocking the emotions of its young characters.
“It’s treated like Rocky. It’s treated like it’s a big-deal sports movie, even though it’s fifth graders and nothing they’re doing theoretically matters,” Staub explained. That commitment to treating childhood competition with complete sincerity gives the film much of its charm.
The young cast delivers wonderfully natural performances. The chemistry among the children feels genuine rather than rehearsed, allowing audiences to immediately recognize pieces of their own childhood in these characters. Ezra brings vulnerability and heart to the lead role, while Jackson provides the confidence and swagger needed for the rival dynamic. Even the supporting children contribute memorable moments that make the playground feel alive and authentic.
Speaking about his casting process, Staub said he wanted a lead actor who still possessed “a rawness about the way he approaches acting that feels incredibly organic.” That authenticity shines throughout the film and makes the children’s performances feel refreshingly real.
One of the film’s emotional anchors is Damon Gupton as Mr. Mike, the school’s janitor. More than simply supervising recess, he becomes the mentor every child hopes to encounter during those formative years. His quiet guidance reminds the students, and the audience, that winning isn’t nearly as important as learning empathy, humility, and how to be both a gracious victor and a gracious loser.
Staub revealed that Mr. Mike was inspired by his own elementary school janitor, explaining that the character taught students “it’s not worth losing your friends over a game” and that playground sports are “where we learn how to deal with conflict.” Those lessons become the emotional heartbeat of the film.
Visually, Four Square is far more ambitious than one might expect from a story centered on a playground game. Staub borrows stylistic inspiration from sports classics, complete with energetic camera movement, dramatic match sequences, and a playful training montage reminiscent of Rocky. The cinematography transforms each rally into a suspenseful competition while maintaining the youthful energy that defines the film.
As a filmmaker, Staub cites Rocky, Challengers, and Steven Spielberg as major influences. “One of my favorite things to do as a storyteller is have camera movement inform storytelling,” he said. The result is a visually dynamic short that elevates every serve and volley into something epic.
The production deserves additional praise for orchestrating more than 35 child extras while maintaining a sense of spontaneity. The playground never feels staged; instead, it buzzes with the unpredictable energy that only children can provide. Every laugh, reaction, and celebration contributes to the film’s immersive atmosphere.
Beneath its entertaining surface, Four Square explores meaningful themes of masculinity, friendship, sportsmanship, and emotional maturity. It reminds viewers that childhood games often serve as the first classrooms where we learn conflict resolution, teamwork, resilience, and empathy.
Staub summed up the film’s message beautifully, calling it “a story about friendship and empathy, and what it means to be a good winner as much as a good loser.” Those universal lessons make Four Square far more than a nostalgic sports comedy; they make it an enduring coming-of-age story.
At just the right balance of humor, heart, and nostalgia, Four Square succeeds because it respects the emotional reality of being a kid. Eli Staub has crafted a film that invites audiences to remember a time when playground victories felt like world championships and friendships could be won, or lost, with the bounce of a ball.
As Staub noted, the film is both heartfelt and playful, never taking itself too seriously while embracing the enormous emotional stakes that childhood can hold. That balance is exactly what makes Four Square one of the most charming and relatable shorts of the festival season.
Rating: ★★★★½ out of ★★★★★
