Entertaining to a Certain Degree but Historically Inaccurate

Rating: 6/10 (20 March 2019)

Set during the turbulent years of the civil rights era, this film centers around a new black football coach by the name of "Herman Boone" (Denzel Washington) being hired to take over a high school team that was predominantly white until a court order implemented the merger with a nearby black high school. This hiring, coupled with the fact that their existing white coach named "Bill Yoast" (Will Patton) was highly regarded, fueled racial fears unparalleled in that particular area of Virginia which not even a winning record could totally alleviate. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that, although this film was entertaining to a certain degree, there were susbstantial historical inaccuracies which were rather difficult to ignore. For starters, Coach Herman Boone didn't take a team that was in extreme disarray and build it into a powerhouse by his sheer ingenuity or charisma. Far from it, as many of his own players and staff were highly critical of his coaching style which they believed was unnecessarily cruel and abusive. Likewise, there are several other blatant distortions which can easily be ascertained if the viewer chooses to do so. But all of that aside, the fact remains that Herman Boone was a very successful coach and his overall record proves that point. Additionally, most of us will never know the pressure he had to go through-especially during this particular time in history. I just wish Hollywood hadn't taken so many liberties with the truth. That being said, while it may not justify the "based on a true story" advertisement, it was still an enjoyable film for the most part and for that reason I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.