Review of The Great Debaters (2007) by Joseph S — 04 Jan 2010
Denzel Washington has a made a film of two hours of motivational speeches, and Disney coach with a rag tag group of kids movie meets Dead Poets Society teacher with rag tag group of kids movie, until we see a disturbing "The Road" like sequence of lynching with a man hung and set on fire; skin peeling like onions.
An attempt at making a sports of movie out of debating, so there could be a movie about black team celebrated for something besides athletic prowess and dancing ability, goes over just about every "undergod" and "racist south" cliche possible.
Based on true story, except 3 of 4 main characters are compeltely fictional. Also all of the debates were predictable and one sidded, I mean black students debating whites on civil disobedience and school intergration (however based on true events this was) is a bit like listening to the canned laughs in sitcoms, with ideas replacing voices.
In a movie about "debate", it would have been nice to hear some, but this was ultimately just a flimsy pretens to showcase the rousing "uplifting" speeches, that Washington has made his trademark.
This review of The Great Debaters (2007) was written by Joseph S on 04 Jan 2010.
The Great Debaters has generally received positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
