The Great Debaters is a good movie. It features strong acting, good writing, and good directing. There is no denying that it is a good movie, plus it has a strong pedigree with two Oscar winners on the screen (Denzel and Forest Whitaker), not to mention Oprah Winfrey is one of the producers (Harpo Films is also one of the companies backing the film). However, despite the talent involved, I cannot help but feel as if I have seen this movie before.
The Great Debaters is no different that Invincible, Walk the Line, Take the Lead, or Glory Road. On the surface those are films of varied subject matter, but if you look at the structure and not the details, you will find films that have a lot in common. Something needs to change int he execution, something that injects more originality into the tried and true formulas, which makes something like I'm Not There such an anomaly in the radically different approach to the true life story (I have not seen it yet, but am surmising based upon what I have read of the unconventional Bob Dylan biopic).
The Great Debaters is the story of the Wiley College debate team and their unconventional teacher, Professor Melvin Tolson (Denzel). The film chronicles the formation of this group of underdogs and their rise, all the way from defeating local black colleges to white colleges, all the way to the national champion team of Harvard (in reality, they defeated USC. Co-writer Robert Eisele explains, "In that era, there was much at stake when a black college debated any white school, particularly one with the stature of Harvard. We used Harvard to demonstrate the heights they achieved.")
What carries the story is the performances. Denzel Washington brings a certain power to the role. Every moment that he is onscreen, he commands attention and respect. Exactly what Tolson gets from his students; Denzel gets from the audience. There is no denying the screen presence that he brings. His strong performance elevates all of those around him. Forest Whitaker delivers a good performance as well. He plays James Farmer, Sr., a teacher and parent to the youngest member of the debate team. His performance has a strong ernestness and truth.
However, as good as both Washington and Whitaker are, the real strength is in the debaters. The three primary debaters are played by Nate Parker (as Henry Lowe), Jurnee Smollett (as Samantha Booke), and Denzel Whitaker (as James Farmer, Jr.). These three do most of the heavy emotional lifting and are the chatacters that you are most likely to identify with. Follow them through their increasingly difficult trials of finding themselves and carving a path at the dawn of a changing world.
Bottomline. In the end, The Great Debaters is a good movie. Is it great? No. The conventions of the genre are just too strong. There is an overriding sense of familiarity combined with the air of self importance that is hard to ignore. I am in no way saying it is a bad movie, but as I sat there I felt as if I was watching a film that was well aware of itself and its potential importance. Still, this is well worth spending some time with.
Recommended.
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