More like Clash of the Titanic Cliches

Rating: 5/10 (2 July 2001)

Finally saw Remember the Titams on pay-per-view. Rated it a 5. RTT is a curious mixture of two basic stories: the integration of a high school in Northern Virginia in 1971, and the integration of that school's football team.
The "big picture" story, of racial integration as a social issue, is painted shallowly. We see glimpses of protest and white people who resist the integration (the African Americans seem bemused by it). But we never really get a feel for how hot an issue this is elsewhere. In truth, the movie makes Alexandria appear bigoted and racist. That's curious to me, because I grew up about 10 miles south of Alexandria and don't recall any of this. Alexandria is a D.C. suburb (more of a feeder community). D.C. is extremely integrated. I would think Alexandria would be more likely to be accepting when the change came. Now if the school had been in SOUTHERN Virginia, that's a different story ....
The "small picture" story, of the players on the team (and the two coaches) integrating, is filled with cliches. There is forced bonding and unnaturally quick progress. None of it feels very real. Neither does the football, which is almost incoherent in its speed and flash through games. Never do you feel like the Titans are facing any particular dramatic moment. You just assume they will win, and don't worry about it.
For a movie with such ambition, Remember The Titans is more pretentious than anything. It reached high and never actuall got off the ground.