A true story of a high school football team and the city they helped unite

Rating: 10/10 (9 September 2005)

I am a football fan, especially of high school and college ball, so I came into this with positive expectations and I was not let down. The telling issue for me is that my son, who is not a football fan, also thinks that this is a great movie. That proves to me that this movie isn't really about football, but about overcoming racial bigotry and how the human spirit can be united regardless of the odds under the right conditions. This film features outstanding performances, especially from Denzel Washington and Will Patton as the black head coach and his white assistant, and wonderful performances from the boys on the 'team' also. The musical track, including the composed music and the songs selected for background music during games and at other times, adds to the power of the performances and lifts the story beyond just a sports analogy and makes it appealing to those like my own son who really don't care about football. He sat rapt, watching the story within the story of young men uniting against racial prejudice and taking an entire Southern town with them into a new age of tolerance and respect. I highly recommend this film to football fans, families looking for an uplifting and positive experience, and to those looking for a real-life example of how much better we are united as human beings than segregated as 'races'. Here's to the Titans of TC Williams High School, and to the movie that tells their story so beautifully!