Film Review: Remember the Titans (2000)
What do you do when you are producer of immensely successful action blockbuster, yet at the same time vilified by critics that accuse your films as reduced to lowest common denominator? You might try to win them over by re-enacting heart-warming real life story with important social message. Jerry Bruckheimmer did exactly that when he produced Remember the Titans, 2000 period sports drama directed by Boaz Yakin.
The plot is set in Alexandria, Virginia in 1971, during the time when civil rights movement created great chasm between city’s black and white community, further escalated with the Supreme Court decision mandating inetgration of school previously segregated on racial basis. In order to placate black community, civic leaders recruit Herman Boone (played by Denzel Washington), expert coach from North Carolina, who happens to be black, to lead football team in recently integrated T. C. Williams High School. This represents painful blow for school’s white coach Bill Yoast (played by Will Patton), but also to white students who threaten that would rather leave school than allow themselves to be coached by a black man. Knowing that many of those boys would lose opportunity for sports scholarships, Yoast swallows his pride and agrees to Boone’s offer of continuing work as his assistant. Two of them begin to prepare the team for the season and during those preparations that would have to work not only differences between themselves, but also between black and white team members. Despite initial difficulties, when the season starts T. C. Williams team begins with a series of incredible victories. This gradually makes both black and white citizens to see the team as their pride and joy and Titans become symbol of successful racial integration. However, just before their greatest triumph, team is struck by tragic event that would represent its greatest challenge.
Story about overcoming racial prejudice and triumph over adversity presented vision of America as Americans would like to imagine. As such, Remember the Titans appealed not only to ordinary Americans, leading to very good results at box office, but also to President Clinton and other members of political establishment that were praising Yakin’s work. Script by Gregory Allen Howard, on the other hand, sticks firmly to formula and cliches and, in a old Hollywood tradition, sacrifices a lot of historical accuracy for the sake of melodrama. Yakin as director doesn’t offer anything remarkable, but his work is solid and allows audience to enjoy it the film. The best work belongs to cast, most notably to Denzel Washington who, by that time, could play charismatic authority figures in his sleep. His efforts are helped by always dependable character actor Will Patton, while Wood Harris and Ryan Hurst are effective in the role of teenagers who must find way to become effective team mates. But the most pleasant surprise is young Hayden Panettiere as Yoast football-obsessed daughter. Remember the Titans, despite its manipulative nature, is well-made and entertaining film that might help restore at least some faith in humanity.
RATING: 6/10 (++)
Blog in Croatian https://draxblog.com
Blog in English https://draxreview.wordpress.com/
Leofinance blog https://leofinance.io/@drax.leo
Cent profile https://beta.cent.co/@drax
Minds profile https://www.minds.com/drax_rp_nc
Uptrennd profile https://www.uptrennd.com/user/MTYzNA
Unstoppable Domains: https://unstoppabledomains.com/?ref=3fc23fc42c1b417
Hiveonboard: https://hiveonboard.com?ref=drax
Bitcoin Lightning HIVE donations: https://v4v.app/v1/lnurlp/qrcode/drax
Rising Star game: https://www.risingstargame.com?referrer=drax
1Inch: https://1inch.exchange/#/r/0x83823d8CCB74F828148258BB4457642124b1328e
BTC donations: 1EWxiMiP6iiG9rger3NuUSd6HByaxQWafG
ETH donations: 0xB305F144323b99e6f8b1d66f5D7DE78B498C32A7
