The U (2009): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2009, The U is a documentary film directed by Billy Corben, running about 102 minutes. “In the '80s college football was hit by a hurricane” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. Throughout the 1980s, Miami, Florida, was at the center of a racial and cultural shift taking place throughout the country. Overwhelmed by riots and tensions, Miami was a city in flux, and the University of Miami football team served as a microcosm for this evolution. The image of the predominantly white university was forever changed when coach Howard Schnellenberger scoured some of the toughest ghettos in Florida to recruit mostly black players for his team. With a newly branded swagger, inspired and fueled by the quickly growing local Miami hip hop culture, these Hurricanes took on larger-than-life personalities and won four national titles between 1983 and 1991. Filmmaker Billy Corben, a Miami native and University of Miami alum, will tell the story of how these “Bad Boys” of football changed the attitude of the game they played, and how this serene campus was transformed into “The U.”

Who’s in it. The U stars Billy Corben as himself, Luther Campbell as Himself - Hip Hop Artist, 2 Live Crew, Jimmy Johnson as Himself and Michael Irvin as Himself, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 7.1/10, The U has been warmly received by audiences.

Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Netflix Standard with Ads and rent or buy it from Amazon Video. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The U page.

If you liked it. Fans of The U tend to enjoy One Direction: This Is Us, Burn the Stage: The Movie, BTS World Tour: Love Yourself - Japan Edition and Senna.