Racist feelings changed by football

Rating: 10/10 (15 January 2002)

I have seen several films in my past, and none have really affected me as much as this one. I remember hearing about it in England, just before I moved to Berlin, and I thought to myself that I wanted to see it, but never had the chance to before I was actually out here. The film did not gain as much press and public awareness than it deserved in Germany, but (from what I heard) it did gross well, but then again, we wouldn't expect a film from Disney not to gross well! When I entered the cinema, the film was starting, and (I was unaware of Disney being behind the production) I saw the Disney symbol, which stopped me in my tracks. I was expecting your usual Village Roadshow, certainly not Disney, but I stuck through, and thought that if this wasn't the film I paid for, well .... I could always leave and say, "You sent me to the wrong theatre!!" The music to the opening sequence was good, and it certainly created the vibe that the film was going to be an entertaining film to watch, and a fast one at that! And how true it was - the time flew by as fast as one of the moves that the team managed to pull in the final match shown! Now to what the film is about: Two schools, one black and one white, are brought together by the state, causing already disturbance in the streets. A black Football coach is instated, and this causes even more uproar within the small town. However, Coach Boon (Denzel Washington) decides to keep the current coaches and work with them. The plot, which I am going to simplify to the bare bones, is how the football team, which Boon creates changes the views on living in a mixed community in the respective town they live in. I cannot give anymore of the story away, otherwise it will kill the film for you. The acting is good, for a football film, and even those who had to say one line don't give out the impression that they are wooden. And I feel sorry for those boys who had to train so hard for the film, but my goodness, they did make it look good.