Denzel Washington directs and stars in the fact based story of the debate team from a small black college in Texas that was so good it beat Harvard and went undefeated for 8 years. That may or may not be too much information, except that this is an Oprah production and is being billed as a feel good movie.
Well acted and well directed Denzel Washington clearly knows how to put a film together. For all intents and purposes we are in the south in 1935.We see what it was like to be both poor and/or black in the south at the time with the dangers of lynching and white on black violence possible at any moment. The film also shows the joy of having an education and of the doors that having one can open for anyone.
His cast of younger actors is excellent with young Denzel Whitaker (no relation (that I know of) to co star Forrest Whitaker coming off best, probably because playing a 14 year old college student he's given the widest range of things to do.
If the film falls down its because it follows the same path that every other feel good underdog story of recent years where the team comes together and over comes impossible odds and makes everyone feel good by achieving something no one thought possible. To be certain its dressed up more fancily and has two Oscar winners heading its cast, but at the same time it hits almost every cliché you can think of right down to the "banned" team coach, played by Washington, showing up in the back of the big final debate to see his team pull it out. I knew it was coming the minute he didn't get on the train. While I grant you there is only so many ways you could probably tell the story its a shame that the film ends up in the well worn rut of similar films, the film is so good in so many ways that it almost seems like a laziness that they didn't find away around the clichés, or at least dressing them up in a suit (however fancy) that was clearly a hand me down.
7 out of 10 more for the disappointment of not transcending the clichés. Probably should be a little higher. Comment on this
Well acted and well directed Denzel Washington clearly knows how to put a film together. For all intents and purposes we are in the south in 1935.We see what it was like to be both poor and/or black in the south at the time with the dangers of lynching and white on black violence possible at any moment. The film also shows the joy of having an education and of the doors that having one can open for anyone.
His cast of younger actors is excellent with young Denzel Whitaker (no relation (that I know of) to co star Forrest Whitaker coming off best, probably because playing a 14 year old college student he's given the widest range of things to do.
If the film falls down its because it follows the same path that every other feel good underdog story of recent years where the team comes together and over comes impossible odds and makes everyone feel good by achieving something no one thought possible. To be certain its dressed up more fancily and has two Oscar winners heading its cast, but at the same time it hits almost every cliché you can think of right down to the "banned" team coach, played by Washington, showing up in the back of the big final debate to see his team pull it out. I knew it was coming the minute he didn't get on the train. While I grant you there is only so many ways you could probably tell the story its a shame that the film ends up in the well worn rut of similar films, the film is so good in so many ways that it almost seems like a laziness that they didn't find away around the clichés, or at least dressing them up in a suit (however fancy) that was clearly a hand me down.
7 out of 10 more for the disappointment of not transcending the clichés. Probably should be a little higher. Comment on this