Glory Road (C+ or 2.5/4 stars)
No one ever said the path to glory was easy. This is true in 'Glory Road', a Disney sports drama that is directed by first-timer, James Gartner. 'Glory Road' is based on a true story of Don Haskins (Josh Lucas) and the basketball team he led to a 1966 National Championship. This was no ordinary win. This marked the first time that an all-black team won in a sport dominated by white men. This movie shows Haskins' ups & downs, his intriguing team, and their struggle to overcome adversity, all while trying to win & make their families proud. This is an inspirational story, but only an average movie.
Don Haskins has been asked to recruit & coach the best team he can for little Texas Western University. He searches long & hard for the best players, and most of them wind up being black. This horrifies some, & pleases others. Haskins tries to teach these guys that their 'Harlem Globetrotter' tricks won't work on the professional court; defense is the key to success. Once they learn this & blend both techniques, they start winning and shock the nation. These guys, led by Luke, Harry (Mehcad Brooks, of Desperate Housewives), & Willie Cager, deal with an ornery coach, advances from women, disciplinary actions, & prejudice en route to the ultimate game against Adolph Rupp's (Jon Voight) all-white Kentucky Wildcats in the Championship game. 'Glory Road' shows that racial balance within basketball and the country, in general, was starting to change for the better!
How does Haskin's team deal with Southern belt racism? Is Texas Western's administration as welcoming to Haskin's new team as we think? Can Haskins & his wife deal with the controversy? Can Texas Western's 'Miners' reign in their talent? Do these guys have a chance in Hell against Kentucky? Will these men be considered heroes, even if they lose the championship?
The game sequences in this film are pretty exciting, but they are few & far between, and I've seen them all before. Most of this film revolves around Haskins, meeting & learning about individual players, practice on the courts, and seeing the way in which the players deal with awful opposition from the 'white' man. The film chooses to showcase the racism of the times rather than basketball, itself. That's not to say there weren't some scenes where the guys get to relax, unwind & have fun, but there should have been more of a balance between drama and 'game'; something was a bit off. The tension & excitement centered around the climax (at the championship) helps bring me out of the depression that the rest of the film puts me in from time to time.
The acting is adequate. I like several of the actors who portrayed the team members, but no one stands out here. The way in which the story is told is adequate. But I wasn't wowed; where was the lighthearted fun? This is a Disney film, isn't it? I wish I would have learned a bit more about Haskins & his team, rather than the constant race relations which drones on & on throughout. In the end, I'm giving this film a C+/2.5 rating. At least I was glad to watch a dramatization of history-in-the-making. The fact that this is a true story makes it more interesting than the film otherwise would have been.
Don Haskins has been asked to recruit & coach the best team he can for little Texas Western University. He searches long & hard for the best players, and most of them wind up being black. This horrifies some, & pleases others. Haskins tries to teach these guys that their 'Harlem Globetrotter' tricks won't work on the professional court; defense is the key to success. Once they learn this & blend both techniques, they start winning and shock the nation. These guys, led by Luke, Harry (Mehcad Brooks, of Desperate Housewives), & Willie Cager, deal with an ornery coach, advances from women, disciplinary actions, & prejudice en route to the ultimate game against Adolph Rupp's (Jon Voight) all-white Kentucky Wildcats in the Championship game. 'Glory Road' shows that racial balance within basketball and the country, in general, was starting to change for the better!
How does Haskin's team deal with Southern belt racism? Is Texas Western's administration as welcoming to Haskin's new team as we think? Can Haskins & his wife deal with the controversy? Can Texas Western's 'Miners' reign in their talent? Do these guys have a chance in Hell against Kentucky? Will these men be considered heroes, even if they lose the championship?
The game sequences in this film are pretty exciting, but they are few & far between, and I've seen them all before. Most of this film revolves around Haskins, meeting & learning about individual players, practice on the courts, and seeing the way in which the players deal with awful opposition from the 'white' man. The film chooses to showcase the racism of the times rather than basketball, itself. That's not to say there weren't some scenes where the guys get to relax, unwind & have fun, but there should have been more of a balance between drama and 'game'; something was a bit off. The tension & excitement centered around the climax (at the championship) helps bring me out of the depression that the rest of the film puts me in from time to time.
The acting is adequate. I like several of the actors who portrayed the team members, but no one stands out here. The way in which the story is told is adequate. But I wasn't wowed; where was the lighthearted fun? This is a Disney film, isn't it? I wish I would have learned a bit more about Haskins & his team, rather than the constant race relations which drones on & on throughout. In the end, I'm giving this film a C+/2.5 rating. At least I was glad to watch a dramatization of history-in-the-making. The fact that this is a true story makes it more interesting than the film otherwise would have been.