At Copley Place, GC Fenway and suburban theaters. A court order has forced the integration of Alexandria's T.C. Williams High School, and therefore its football team, which if anything is an even more revered institution. But in order to keep his players from jeopardizing their college prospects, Yoast agrees to stay on as defensive coach. Boone must earn the respect of everyone, most importantly his white players, while keeping his black players focused at a time when they are under pressure at their new school as well as on the playing field. Although he doesn't know it, Boone also must win every game or he will be replaced by the town's bigoted politicians.
Football is, of course, both game and metaphor.
And it's amazingly effective. This is thanks in large part to Washington, who is tremendously commanding in the lead role, and to an unusually fine supporting cast. In one of the early scenes, Boone meets his team members for the first time and leaves an indelible impression on them and us. If you want to know what makes someone a movie star, just watch Washington barking orders like a drill sergeant to trembling recruits. As strange as it sounds, Washington actually seems to increase in size as he speaks.