Review of The Great Debaters (2007) by Chads. — 29 Dec 2007
A college/university, even in a traditionally republican-voting state like Oklahoma, are liberal bastions that repudiates the opposing ideology of its conservative constituency. The sometimes hokey, sometimes uplifting "Great Debaters" ably demonstrates this demarcation when Wiley College debates Oklahoma City.
Wiley wins the debate(scored by university officials), but not the hearts and minds of the people(townies). As each racial group claps subjectively on the topic of intergrating colleges, you're reminded of the O.
J. Simpson trial when television cameras captured our country's ongoing racial division after the jury's verdict of innocence was announced. A film like "The Great Debaters" is bittersweet because our country has a long way to go.
Henry Lowe(Nate Parker) is the heart of the film. After witnessing a lynch mob put the finishing touch on a desecrated man, Henry retreats into the role of "The Invisible Man"(the Ralph Ellison novel) because he sees no future for an educated black man.
Henry doesn't forget where he comes from(a backwater). Hamilton(Jermaine Williams), on the other hand, quits the debate team because of Mr. Tolson's politics. He forgets who he is.
This review of The Great Debaters (2007) was written by Chads. on 29 Dec 2007.
The Great Debaters has generally received positive reviews.
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