Real

Rating: 8/10 (6 July 2005)

I'll try not to spoil too much.
Plot: Based on the true story of Coach Carter, who takes a job at his alma mater Richwood High at the request, no at the begging, of the team's current coach. He takes the job after the season has started, so he doesn't have much time to shape the team up. He gets to work putting the kids into shape physically, and then begins the challenge of getting them in shape academically. The conflict in the story comes from the latter challenge. He attempts to get the school to cooperate with him, but to little avail. He goes through numerous methods and channels trying to accomplish his ultimate goal (besides winning state), preparing his athletes for college. In the end...well if you haven't seen it, I'll let you find out for yourself.
Cast: Samuel L. Jackson is great, what else can be said? He can play such a wide range of roles, and yet he is totally believable in all of them. I never once thought "Shaft" or "Changing Lanes" or even "Star Wars" during his performance as a basketball coach. He played the part very well, without being phony. The young stars did quite well in their roles, and it was a credit to the writing and directing crew as well that they gave background to every character, so that the athletes didn't seem like "rebels without a cause", the weakest character was Kiera (played by Alliyah), but still wasn't bad, just didn't shine...and the film went on despite it.
Review: I loved this movie, this past year was my senior year, and my school basketball team went through a similar story of nobody thinking anything of us, and we showing up and winning our district and entering the playoffs (so the same plot, minus the ghetto and disrespect for the coach). Point is, I felt the pain of the players through their losses, and I felt the rush of winning as this film reminded me of my team and how we fared.
Basketball fans and players alike will not be disappointed.
8/10