Coach Carter
By: Patrick Vu | Category: DVD Archive | 06/25/05 | 11:33 PM
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 Grade: B+ |
Genre: Drama
Summary: Coach Carter is no Friday Night Lights, but it is film with comparable heart and desire. It's success lies in our empathy for the players and the struggles that each go through to stay on the team and on the right path.
Hey Mister Kotta! Sure, it may not work as well for this film, but what Coach Carter has that does work is a very convincing presence on the screen thanks to the baddest mother f-er of them all, Samuel L. Jackson. Anyone who has the gall to have you include his middle initial as you speak his name has got to be a force to be reckoned with. Don't even say a word about Michael J. Fox.
Anyway, Coach Carter is a very engaging film about an inner city high school basketball program that not only lacks the ambition for the game but also in themselves. Ken Carter knows a thing or two about success by believing in oneself and brings his discipline to a group who can't even spell discipline. He'll give you respect until you lose it and is all about bringing out the best in you, physically and most of all academically. |
A former basketball star in his day, Carter has been able to take his winning ways beyond the baseline to build for himself a rewarding life of success with a hard work ethic. He owns a local sporting good store, has a beautiful home and sends his only son to a top-notch private school favoring athletics. When asked by his former Richmond (Californial) High School b-ball coach to take over his position, Carter reluctantly accepts and takes on the difficult task of molding young ruffians living in the moment into men looking towards a bright future.
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| Coach Carter |
| Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Rob Brown, Robert Ri'chard, Rick Gonzalez, Nana Gbewonyo, Antwon Tanner, Channing Tatum, Ashanti |
| Director: Thomas Carter
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| BUYOR RENT IT NOW! |
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Coach Carter is less about basketball and more about what it takes to live a life full of opportunity even when there doesn't seem to be much. What's compelling about the film are the different social issues that each of the players exhibit. There's Kenyon Stone (Rob Brown) and his girlfriend (Ashanti) dealing with teen pregnancy, Timo Cruz (Rick Gonzalez) finding himself caught between staying on the team and living life day to day on the streets selling drugs, and then there's Coach Carter himself, who faces opposition from a community that don't understand his stance of academics over basketball. They are displeased by the contract he forces the players to sign which obligates them to maintain a 2.3 GPA, attend class everyday in the front row, and to wear ties on gameday.
It's an uphill hill battle between the coach and the players as well as between the coach and the system. Basketball seems to be the boys' only ticket out of town, but what Coach Carter tries to drill in their narrow minds is that basketball may be the least likely road to success for these kids. A foundation built on hard work and determination are what will lead the boys to victory. Not only does it come through in their season's record, but also in their growing positivity within themselves and the world around them.
Coach Carter is no Friday Night Lights, but it is film with comparable heart and desire. It's success lies in our empathy for the players and the struggles that each go through to stay on the team and on the right path. Samuel L. Jackson is at his usual high standards, which is only made better by the team. Finding Forrestor's, Rob Brown, R&B star Ashanti, and Rick Gonzalez are highpoints who bring honesty and depth to their roles. Specifically, Brown's growth since Forrester is very noticeable and you hope this young actor continues to evolve off the court.
Directed by Save the Last Dance's, Thomas Carter (no relation), Coach Carter thankfully doesn't suffer from Dance's hokiness and is a solid sophomore effort by Carter on the big screen. This is a film that will inspire you to not only hit the boards but also the books. Coach Carter's heart is in the right place and is a highly enjoyable film that won't let you down.
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