Outstanding movie

Rating: 10/10 (10 December 2012)

This was such a outstanding movie with very memorable performances. This wasn't just a true story but it also had a strong racial background and how it was back then and the changing of views. Some people might have missed the subtlety that what coach Boone (Denzel) put the kids through summer camp was similar to a boot camp. He had to put them through hell to reduce everyone to the lowest denominator of misery so that you learn the only way to stop the pain is to work together as a single unit. This is what made him successful in integrating the players. This movie illustrates well how bad racism was and how it played out on and off the field. Although there were corny moments in the movie and the actors were clearly too old, they were minimal and didn't detract from the power the film. If you are looking at this movie as just another football movie or sports movie how much better can it be than ones in the past. You will be sadly mistaken and you will find this movie to take you by surprise. The film takes place in the early 70's in Alexandria Virginia with the T.C. Williams high school. Will Patton plays the current head coach that is going to be nominated to the high school hall of fame. Then bad luck strikes and a white store owner shoots a black man he thinks has stolen from him and he is wrong. The event causes big racial tension. To try to ease racial tension Yoast gets demoted to assistant coach for the new head coach Boone (Denzel). since a black man replaces a very popular white coach the residents become very angry and players are even willing to throw away their careers and quit the team. To make sure he has the best chance of winning and integrate the white and black players, he doesn't treat either better then the other. He ends up sitting the offense and defense all on different buses black and white. During camp he makes people run a mile for almost every mistake they make. Each and every player has to sleep and get to know their racial counterpart as their homework. They all start to create a special bond and start to act more humane and mature, lacking in the residents of the town. When the team starts to win all race issues are eliminated, and true team work on and off the field is born. With this being a true story and showing the triumph of the human spirit and the positives of change make this all the more enjoyable. The supporting cast do a great job and really make you care about all the characters and what happens to them. This movie shows that when working as a team anything is possible and makes you feel sad and the situation in the past even some now are silly when it comes to racism. See this movie and you will not be disappointed.