Two words perfectly sum up this movie - inspirational and uplifting. I have not seen Antwone Fisher, but I will be sure to check it out after seeing this. Before watching this, I had never even heard about Wiley College or what it did in the '30s, so not only is it great entertainment but it is also educational. I don't know how closely the movie follows the actual events so I can't point out the flaws, but it doesn't matter because the movie is brilliant and moving. This is an underdog movie and you'll be rooting for the Wiley College team throughout the movie. The acting is marvelous by all the actors, but recognition has to be given to the three stars that portray the debaters, Denzel Washington, and Forest Whitaker. Not only is Denzel great as an actor, he is even better as a director. As other reviewers have said, out of all the actors Denzel Whitaker is the star. His portrayal of James Farmer, Jr. is outstanding and this role will certainly further his acting career. Forest Whitaker doesn't have a huge role to play, but he performs his parts beautifully (for example the hog and the sheriff scenes). Overall this is a very inspirational and uplifting movie. I wouldn't be surprised if it gets a few Oscar nods.Read full review
...I watched the bonus features. Why? Well I bought into the whole storyline, and really enjoyed the actors, the time period, and the moral of the story. However, just like what happened in "The Last King of Scotland", the people I cared about were not real! Two of three main debaters were not real people, but a composite of a few of the debaters during that time period... I really enjoyed this film, but seeing that bonus feature state that the two of the main characters were not real made me feel like I was snookered! That is because at the end of the film, before the credits, there are 'updates' as to what happened to each of the main characters. How could that be when at least two of those characters were not 'real' people but instead were 'reel' people?! So I am toning down my rating of this movie/DVD xtras from an 'Excellent' to a 'Good' rating. The "Inspired By A True story" line should be more prominent before actually viewing the film IMHO. Note: Denzel Washington, Denzel Whitaker, Forest Whitaker, and the other did a great job in their roles. My review has nothing bad to say about their acting, as I enjoyed the film....Read full review
It is 1935, and at a small Negro college in Texas, Professor Tolson (Denzel Washington) is coaching the debate team. Its members include a sweet, pretty girl, a ladies' man, and a 14-year old whiz-kid. The students blossom under Tolson's leadership, but his extra-curricular activities may be a problem; at night he is secretly unionizing the share croppers, and the sheriff doesn't like it one bit. I never expected a movie about a debate team to be intense, scary, or exhilarating, but "The Great Debaters" is all that and more. There are two stories here - one is the debate team and the other is life under segregation; both stories are compelling. The acting is uniformly outstanding; Forrest Whitaker and Washington support some lesser-known, but extremely talented young stars. We get to know their characters and care about them as they overcome their various obstacles to become the top Negro college debate team in the country. The injustices of segregation are vividly and heartbreakingly portrayed; it was quite a sobering look at the legalized cruelty of that time and place. The fact that this is a true story makes it all the more inspiring. Heartily recommended.Read full review
This movie was so well written and so touching I would recommend it to all people, all races and all ages. Clean content, so it's cool for the family and very touching, but in no way boring or dull. This story is based on actual events and will inspire ANYONE who has ever thought or been told they couldn't achieve their dreams. You will watch it til the credit roll and will never forget it's message. One of the best movies I've seen in a long time. Try it!
I saw this movie while staying in a hotel and had to have it to share with friends and house guests. A powerful cast with Denzel Washington in the lead role capture the intensity of a this time in a small college in the South. This movie got great reviews from the critics but went pretty much unnoticed by the public in the holiday rush of blockbuster releases. Watch it with older children - 8 and up - for a great post-movie discussion.
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