Hoop dreams for the Oilers

Rating: 7/10 (10 December 2013)

Coach Carter is based on a true story of Richmond High School basketball coach Ken Carter (Samuel L Jackson) who made headlines in 1999 for benching his high school basketball team due to poor academic results.
The film is not really about basketball that is just a backdrop. It is more about Ken Carter who becomes head coach of his old high school, where the players are rude, disrespectful and ill disciplined.
Carter makes them each sign a personal contract regarding training, discipline, attendance and school grades. Although a disciplinarian the team has an unbeaten run and turns around the lives of their players even though some in the school and many of the parents are unhappy with his methods.
I guess I would loath to have Ken Carter as my coach but in this movie with its assortment of High school misfits that are straight out of ghetto casting, it works.
Samuel L Jackson has enough charisma and likability for you to invest in his character. The film is enjoyable enough, the music blends well with the urban drama and there are a few future stars in early roles in this film.