A Winner

Rating: 8/10 (1 April 2001)

As arctypal as 'inspiration' movies come, 'Remember the Titans' still manages to please. Not the least of its charms are the seriousness with which it takes the race issue and its rating- i.e., this is a movie a whole family could watch together before having a conversation about racism and personal responsibility for treating others with respect. Denzel Washington rarely gives a bad performance, and he didn't here. Will Patton is equally likable. Here are two men devoted to teaching their young charges about life, and realize that it is their responsibility to arm them for battle in the real world. The lovely story of friendship between Julius and the doomed Gerry is poignant indeed. Classy people come from all different races and backgrounds. The one thing that really pulls it together is the audience's awareness that this is based on a true story. I'm sure they've 'Disney-fied' it, but what would come off as incredibly cheesy and manipulative as an entirely fictional story comes off as, well, inspirational when it has at least a grain of truth.