Over the last decade, even longer, the viewing public has been bombarded with the same formulaic, sometimes uplifting story. Little-known black kids in an under-funded college or high school are discovered by a passionate and inspiring teacher. That teacher provides those kids with a sense of belonging in a world mired by racial prejudice. The students then break down the racial barriers, teaching not only themselves but also the racist Caucasians and conservative African Americans that they belong in the same places and can perform (and outperform) at the same tasks, whether it is football, basketball, swimming or scholastic endeavors. The story rarely changes, the filming techniques are seldom different. The characters are different but the outcome is never in question.
Thus, when viewing The Great Debaters, the audience finds themselves immersed in the same story that can be seen in Remember the Titans, Pride and Glory Road, to name a few. Despite this, despite the similarities, despite the formulaic nature of the plot and despite the obvious outcome, The Great Debaters is a fantastic movie. Set in Texas in the 1930s, during the latter stages of the Depression, the film follows a young black debate team and their coach at a small African American college. The coach, Denzel Washington, is an immensely competitive individual who believes that the only way to produce change is by winning. In this case, they aim to win debates against other black colleges and then hopefully the larger, better-funded, white colleges.
The story is not the strength of the movie, despite it being very touching and heartwrenching at times. The real strength of the film lies in Washington’s immense passion for the project. One of the most accomplished actors of recent times, black or white, Washington has also graced us with his abilities behind the camera. Playing one of the main characters and directing the film, Washington’s fingerprints are everywhere. His passion is matched by the superb performances garnered from a very young and talented cast. Nate Parker, Jurnee Smollett and Denzel Whitaker all hold their own in the presence of the much more experienced Washington. Adding to the superb cast is the presence of recent Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker, who adds an understated intensity to the story as preacher and professor Dr. James Farmer, the father of the younger Whitaker’s character (though they’re not real-life relations).
What is really important about this movie is the message that black kids do not need sports in order to break down racial barriers. This, hopefully, will become a message that more films will relate in the coming years. Too often, young kids growing up in urban ghettos are bombarded with the notion that becoming a sports star or hip-hop artist is the only way out of the economic plight they were born into. However, when 99 per cent of these kids don’t reach their goal, where might they turn next? The Great Debaters, despite being a historical tale more than seven decades old, might help to demonstrate other ways to escape racial degradation and economic quandary. If nothing else, the film is fantastically filmed and cements Denzel Washington as a true Hollywood treasure.
The Great Debaters opens Fri., Jan. 18.