Atypical Jerry Bruckheimer adaptation of a true-life sports event; a game Lucas saves the predictable flick

Rating: 6/10 (17 January 2006)

GLORY ROAD (2006) **1/2 Josh Lucas, Derek Luke, Emily Deschanel, Jon Voight. Atypical Jerry Bruckheimer adaptation of a true-life sports event that changed history forever focuses on the 1966 NCAA basketball team of Texas Western and its fiercely determined coach Don Haskins (a game Lucas) to shake things up by having an all-black starting team during the Civil Rights era which led to some backlash and typical racism for the period. While the histrionics formulaic storyline is hindered by a telegraphed plot (the team would go on to be an underdog resulting in what is maintained as one of college basketball's - and all major sports for that matter- upsets in history) the engaging acting and energetic final act by filmmaker James Gartner forgives its pedestrian script by Chris Cleveland and Bettina Gilois.