Review of The Great Debaters (2007) by Sarah R — 24 Nov 2008

Golden-hued "inspiring" period piece, based on a true story, starring Denzel Washington in Dead-Poet's-Society mode as a professor and debate-team coach at an African-American college in 1930s Texas.

Of course, they defeat college after college (all black) before they are given the opportunity to debate white colleges, experiencing much racism along the way. Finally they get to debate Harvard in the climax -- which never happened in real life! You can see where this is going every step of the way, it looks and sounds exactly how you expect it, Denzel is Denzel (he also directed), and most of the characters -- black and white -- are broad stereotypes.

What is especially annoying is how each debate seems to be about a racial issue, which gives the opportunity for the team members to literally expound from the pulpit. This gives the film zero subtext -- every racial issue is turned into a didactic speech.

Slick and entertaining in a facile way but its explorations of the subject belong in a 1950s Stanley Kramer movie.