Inspirational and well-done

Rating: 9/10 (24 June 2001)

This is one of those long films that maintains its quality from start to finish. I especially enjoyed the football theme, but it had much more to offer. Denzel Washington and Will Patton provided recognizable star quality and had brilliant performances, and the rest of the cast was equally effective in all the roles. The plot gracefully combines themes of the team spirit, racism, fighting against adversity, tragedy, principles versus friends, and comedy. The ending was predictable, but nonetheless entertaining. The different personalities on the football team complemented each other, and the struggles to work as a team were effectively conveyed. I wonder how close the film's characters reflected their real counterparts. 9 out of 10.