It would be a hardened cynic that could come out of this movie and not feel uplifted by this little gem of a film. The story centres around a real-life high school football team that has to come to terms with a merger of black and white players when one of the local schools closes. The "let's all get along" message may seem a little chessy to some, but thinking like that is just plain old cynical. The performances are right out of the top drawer. Denzel Washington is brilliant as always, and how he has been overlooked for a handful of Oscars is beyond me. Will Patton as the Titans former coach is also top notch, but very understated, contrasting nicely with Denzel's loud and "in your face" coach.
As a movie, this hits all the right spots; moving, uplifting and with moments of true joy. For all the non-Americans out there, the football scenes are limited to one-on-one situations that don't require detailed knowledge of the game. So leave your cynical thoughts at the theatre door and sit back and enjoy one of the unmissable films of the year.
My Rating: 10/10 |
