Movie review without spoilers

Rating: 8/10 (2 October 2015)

Remember the Titans Review
"Remember the Titans" is a compelling story of perseverance and tolerance that warms your heart with the bond of a tightly knit high school football team. Throughout the movie, there are battles between whites and blacks, and the Titans against their weekly opponents. They are playing to prove that they are the best in the state and that blacks and whites work as one. This movie acts as a metaphor for the struggles of life, which makes it easy for anyone to connect with the movie. "Remember the Titans" is set back in 1971 in Alexandria, Virginia, less than 10 years after the Civil Rights act was passed. Tension between blacks and whites is at its highest in Alexandria when the high school becomes integrated and Coach Boone (Denzel Washington) is hired as the head coach of the high school football team and he replaces, now assistant head coach, Coach Yoast (Will Patton). This change causes the white kids to second guess playing football because they don't want to play for a black coach or with black teammates. But both coaches come to agreement and take their appointed roles as coaches. They haul both black and white players off to football camp so bonds can be made and they can learn to play as one. The director, Boaz Yakin, does a great job of showing that friendships are important through the plot of this movie. Boaz gives us an important example of finding who your true friends are. He illustrates this point by showing us a scene where a white player breaks up with his girlfriends because she didn't approve of his interactions with the black players. This one decision made by a white teammate proved to most of the other players that whether they were black or white, that they could put aside their differences and just be friends. Boaz Yakin presents the dialogue and setting of this film in a way that makes you feel like you were watching a movie developed in the 1970's. Like explained before, there was still tension between blacks and whites at this time. This movie really gives you a good demonstration of what life would be like to be black, friends with blacks, or even what goes through the mind of white people who discriminated blacks. This is another aspect of the film where the director does a great job.. Though I really like this movie, there is one thing that might take this movie down a notch. That factor is that it isn't very original. This isn't the first movie ever made that shows the integration of blacks and whites in sports. Also, there are characters that have been used in previous sports movies like the classic fat kid. Or the guy that joins the team and has never played before who ends up being a key player. Then there are the moments where two guys that fight each other end up being the closest of friends. Even though they may not be original thought, I think the director and the actors do a good job of using these "old news" situations and making them intertwine with the plot of the movie. The overall mood of "Remember the Titans" is excited or happy even though there are some sad moments. I say the mood is exciting because there are lots of moments where your skin begins to tingle from what just happened or from what is about to happen. The mood ties in with the acting and the atmosphere very well. Just look for a slight smirk from Coach Boone or listen to the roar of the crowd. Those small bits in the movie make you feel part of the moment and give you flashbacks of good times. "Remember the Titans" is a good movie. It has everything a person could want in a film and everything you really need. I personally feel that everyone should watch it, either just to watch a good movie or to have a very good message illustrated for you. I give it an 8/10.