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Back Shelf Beauties
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Coach Carter Samuel L. Jackson is the coolest man on the face of the planet. When he walks onto the screen, you know Jackson is going to make it worth the price of admission*, and Coach Carter is worth more than that. It's a very good film with the kind of message people need to hear more often, especially teens and spoiled athletes (maybe their coaches could set it up so Randy Moss and Shaun Alexander could see the movie). Based on a recent true story (I saw it on ESPN, it must be true), Jackson stars as Coach Carter - a successful businessman, former military guy, and local basketball legend. He has worked hard and succeeded in life, but his community needs him in a new capacity. Richmond High School's long time boys' basketball coach is retiring, and Carter has been asked to takeover. He sees a group of kids who have no discipline, few positive role models, and don't take their schoolwork seriously. To remedy the situation, and give the boys a chance for a better life, Coach Carter institutes a series of policies requiring proper behavior and academic accomplishment. When the team starts to succeed, but they haven't lived up to the standards they agreed to, Coach Carter risks an undefeated season and possible bid to the state championships by threatening to sit the entire team and forfeit games unless they get their act together. Will the kids rise to the occasion? Will the principal, teachers, parents and community support Coach Carter in his crusade? It's easy to throw around words like inspirational, but I can't think of a better way to describe Coach Carter. While many of the plot twists are very familiar and cliché, all of it contributes to the movie's overall positive and important message about taking on responsibility and opening doors to your own future by working hard in school. Don't worry, it's not a two-hour preaching session, but you'll get the message as you are entertained. Writers Mark Schwahn and John Gatins have created enough subplots to keep your interest and learn about the various players on the team, as well as those family members and others in their lives. They craft a few good, rousing speeches for Jackson to deliver at key moments as Coach Carter faces growing rebellion, expresses his outrage and drives home the lessons he wants to impart on the young men. Schwahn and Gatins also provide a few funny one-liners and comical situations to help lighten the mood, but they truly end the movie on a high note as Coach Carter delivers his closing comments, a speech that saved me from ripping apart the last twenty minutes of the film (it's still a little long, but worth the payoff). Just as you think Coach Carter might become a typical sports movie and forget all of the lessons it wanted to teach to us, Schwahn and Gatins save it, while giving us one of the best lines I have seen in a movie (you'll get a great laugh if you get the joke). Meanwhile, director Tom Carter keeps it all together in an easy to understand manner, keeps a good reign on what could have become a melodramatic, after school special and delivers some emotional and thrilling sports action scenes that show the drama of competition and teamwork. Each game is exciting because Carter films the action so it is up close and personal, practically in our face as if we were in the court with the players (closest I may ever get to a real basketball court). Of course, Carter has it very easy. All he really needs to do is keep the camera focused on Jackson, and he'll get an interesting movie. Jackson is a captivating actor who oozes style and coolness. Additionally, he brings the right moral authority and worldly-wise attitude to a character who could have become a boring nerd. Jackson's trademark intensity is on display in Coach Carter, but it's never been more necessary in a movie or character as he becomes the kind of coach, friend, mentor or next door neighbor you always wanted. The kids come through alright, with the better performances coming from Rick Gonzalez as Timo Cruz - a kid involved in illegal activity, and Rob Brown as Kenyon Stone - a talented basketball player who has a pregnant girlfriend, Kyra (played by Ashanti, who was surprisingly adequate and puts to shame the acting ability of fellow songstresses Hilary Duff and Britney Spears). Coach Carter is a very good movie with a great message. I hope many teens will see the film, since it gives them a look at how to live a good life. Some adults could use the lessons as well. 3 ½ Waffles (Out Of 4) *This theory does not apply to Deep Blue Sea, trust me. I always had a suspicion Jackson's part was supposed to be bigger, but, during production of the film, he begged them to let his character get eaten by a shark. You still get the paycheck, but you quickly get off the set to save your reputation with a better movie. Copyright 2005 - WaffleMovies.com
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