Review of Remember the Titans (2000) by Kelsey S — 23 Feb 2017

In a time of separation, change, and -in honor of the super bowl- football; a movie such as Remember the Titans is a great reminder of the enduring actions that took place when America was in another time of great change. This movie portrays the real life story of a town called Alexandria, Virginia experiencing major integration transitions in 1971. Not only does their high school, T.C. Williams High, become integrated; but also their praised football team who traded their beloved head coach Bill Yoast (Will Patton) for an African American coach named Herman Boone (Denzel Washington). Washington again provides the world with another great performance. His portrayal of a high-stressed and intense football coach is evident as he tends to obnoxiously chew his gum throughout every play of a game and expresses his anger with football referees by humoring the audience with his lack of personal space and dramatic hand motions. Boone, a humble and family-oriented man, decides to let Yoast become an assistant coach; together the two struggle to work hand-and-hand in front of the town and, more importantly, their players throughout the season. This movie is an inspiring reflection of one of the greatest transitions in American history, shown through the eyes of all ages and a sport that we have all grown to love.

The original T.C. Williams High football captain and All-American, Gary Bertier, was brilliantly played by Ryan Hurst. Hurst turns Bertier's natural aggressive body posture into a less-dominant and respectful-type mannerism in times of tension. Usually, this happens when Washington approaches Bertier with his portrayal of an intimidating and almost humorous type of coaching authority. Another character that was delivered by a talented actor was Bertier's new found friend, Julius Campbell (Wood Harris). Harris also turns his intimidating first impression into a surprisingly timid personality throughout the movie. This was conveyed to the audience when Julius walks into Bertier's white dominant neighborhood for the first time and delivers a nervous stutter when confronted by Bertier's neighbors. Ultimately, both of these actors were able to take the harsh judgements people had regarding their new found friendship and reacted in a way that will surely make the audience feel uncomfortable at times. Later on in the movie the actors were able to warm the hearts of all that were watching by bringing comfort and a sense of brotherhood to both of their characters whenever they would step onto the football field.

Scenes like this captured the hearts of many due to the genius behind the camera, Philippe Rousselot. Rousselot's ingenuity perfectly captured a scene where Sunshine wants to take Blue and Petey to a restaurant to celebrate their win. When Sunshine forces his two friends into the restaurant, Rousselot captured Petey and Blue's desire to hide by creating an over-the-shoulder shot, giving the audience the perspective of the two young men's unwelcome feeling in a public venue within their own town. Shots like this helped depict the society-changing transition this town was going through from both the white and African American perceptive.

The emotions this movie illustrates to its audience is due to the work of Gregory Allen Howard who beautifully wrote the screenplay for this movie. Howard was able to show the audience how to turn tragedy into togetherness with his inspirational, heart-warming, and witty screenplay. As he located a memorable scene at the Battlegrounds of Gettysburg, he had Washington deliver a speech to the players that will surely send chills down your spine.

Howard was able to deliver a lesson of overpowering hate with acceptance in a way that makes the audience form a loving bond towards this movie. This lesson was greatly needed for that time (1971), but also one that our society is in need of today. Because "before we reach for hate; always, always, we remember the Titans".