Film Reaction F.Y.S 12/8/09

Rating: 10/10 (7 December 2009)

Glory Road is an extraordinary film that tells the story of a team from El Paso, Texas that overcame many difficulty adversities. The film addresses racial issues found in the 1960s and 70s. Coach Haskins redefines the "rules" of basketball by starting five African-American players in the national championship game. Throughout the movie each character is developed carefully and critically, adding personality to every face. The director uses exquisite cinematography to move viewers through the scenes.
The most influential aspect of this film is the exceptional dialogue in the beginning that truly places viewers in the time period. It allows the audience to understand the racism situation in American. As the new African-American players arrive in El Paso, it is the dialogue that becomes so important to understanding what these men are undergoing as far as change in location. One of the quotes that establishes how different things are in El Paso is when Jerry Armstrong tells his fellow teammate that he's never seen "one of them a colored." This immediately establishes the theme found throughout the movie.
Coach Haskin's Texas Western basketball team overcomes something no other team at the time had overcome, segregation. Although the road is not an easy one, they travel down it with glory, eliminating old stereotypes, and setting an example for the entire country. This basketball team did remarkable things and this film is an excellent portrayal of the way one person can make a difference.