Movie Review: The Great Debaters
The Great Debaters
Reviewed by Tiffani Barnes
Rating: 4 Stars
The Great Debaters is based on the true story of the 1935 debate team of the small, all black Wiley College in Marshall, TX. Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington directs and stars in this historical drama, which also includes fellow Oscar winner Forest Whitaker, Kimberly Elise, Nate Parker, Jermaine Whilliams, Jurnee Smollett, and Denzel Whitaker.
Professor Tolson (Washington) leads his underdog debate team on a winning streak through the Jim Crow south of the 1930s, overcoming adversity to become one of the first black teams to ever debate a white college. Tolson’s handpicked team later became some of the heavy hitters of the civil rights movement, which is foreshadowed by the team’s debate topics.
This film is reminiscent of the great inspirational sports films that have come before like Rudy, Hoosiers, Miracle, and Remember the Titans. However, in that spirit it can also seem a bit formulaic. Fans of these films will quickly recognize the pattern and, although predictable, it is nevertheless a satisfying film. The only rub in the film is that the team always gets to debate the side of the argument with which they agree.
Debaters is a solid drama with no shortage of Oscar buzz and for good reason; it is cinematically beautiful, well edited and impeccably acted. The major themes of the film include adversity, faith, activism, and respect. If you enjoy historical dramas and inspirational stories you won’t want to miss The Great Debaters.
You can find free downloadable clips from The Great Debaters at WingClips here. If you’ve seen the film, feel free to weigh in with your thoughts.
Tiffani Barnes, a graphic designer and multimedia producer at Infinitelightmedia.com, is the Faith Evangelist for iStockphoto (www.istockphoto.com).
