Good Basketball Movie

Rating: 7/10 (15 January 2006)

This movie is without a doubt one of the best basketball movies ever made. Period. But, how many basketball films are there? Glory Road can best be compared to Remember the Titans, as the story is similar, and even the plot structures parallel. Like Remember the Titans, the key issue of the film is racism, and the film had every person on their feet by the end when I saw it. Bruckheimer, a decent director, does a good job of painting the opponents as racists and the Texas Western team as the shining light in the darkness. And, he does a very convincing job. However, the inclusion of a black player on KU's starting line-up is glossed over, and Kentucky's coach, Adolph Rupp, is portrayed as merely a prejudiced old man, disregarding his place as the 2nd all-time winningest coach in the NCAA. Bruckheimer's greatest strength in this film comes from the performance of Josh Lucas, who does an excellent job of portraying Coach Haskins. The in-game sequences are good, but definitely could have been greater. There are definitely some great shots, and the editing is also quite well done. This film also has an excellent message for viewers, and is one of the best anti-racism movies I've seen. The fear felt by team mates is easily transferable across the screen to the audiences. This film is also extremely uplifting. For basketball players and other athletes, it's easily to relate to the members of the Texas Western team. This is definitely a film anyone should go out and see some weekend, or rent for an open night.