The Great Debaters

I laughed and cried while watching this little gem of a movie. It's based on actual events. I really enjoyed it.

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Bleacheddecay

I don't remember too much about it now. But, at the time, I remember thinking that it was a pretty, by-the-numbers period drama. Nothing wrong with it, but nothing that really stood out or left an impression on me, after it finished. It reminded me of a good TV movie, the sort of film that I'd recommend to my mum.

I liked the fact that it showed, for the most part, how real debate actually works. I'm passionate about debate. I think too many people think the way debate works is what they see in the presidential debates. Of course those aren't debates at all. I'm glad there is a movie out there that shows somewhat about debate. That's not to say there weren't a few errors about debate in the film.

Many of that actors are people I simply love watching on the screen. That certainly added to the experience for me.

I also liked the historical perspective about how unequal things were back then. This is something we should never forget. It's not gone entirely these days. In fact, at Walmart today I saw racial profiling at work. Hispanic and black people were stopped and their goods / receipts inspected almost exclusively.

It reminds me of a quote, "Those that forget history are doomed to repeat it."

That's all true BD and, in documentary form, I think I'd have enjoyed it more but, as a period film, it just didn't excite me.

Fair enough Honeykid. Fair enough.

For me it was amazing movie. I became very happy when I sew people win their rights. The dialogue in that Debates are a great literary pieces.

I agree with you!

Pretty good movie. Was expecting a generic / black "Dead Poet's Society" Part 8 or whatever - but it stood on its own.

Yeah.. I had absolutely no intentions on watching that movie.. I felt Like I would have Missed out at the end.. A great example of how our politics in this Country began... Red Vs.Blue

I really liked this movie.

I just saw it on DVD.

It has a dynamic beginning with clips of a fire and brimstone preacher played by Forest Whitaker interspersed with some folks in a backwoods roadhouse jamming and dancing. And whether or not they win the final debate is very stirring.

It's got two of our best actors in it, the kind that never give a bad performance and the young actors give good performances as well. In fact, Forest Whitakers son plays his son in the movie. He, Denzel Whitaker, has a substantial role and does a creditable job. He is not as accomplished as the other young actors in the movie nor as compelling a speaker but he does a decent job.

And let's face Denzel is the man! Men fear him (or they want to be him) and women want him! He's an incredibly charismatic actor.

It goes over some well trodden territory historically (but then so is the Civil War, WWII and those movies do well) but I think it does so with verve and elan.

It's a feel good movie and a Give-me-the-ball-coach sports movie about a debate team. Now that is not ordinary.

I just gotta ask the people who made this movie; why the lame title? The Great Debaters? I think Oprah's people or Oprah have no idea how to promote a movie. The movie is replete with lines from great writers and orators throughout the centuries and they couldn't find one to use as the title to this picture? After listening to Denzel's impassioned speech to his debaters about his role as their coach and teacher in returning their "righteous" lives to their race after the indignities of slavery, I thought Our Righteous Voice or Your Righteous Voice might be a good title for this film. Let Oprah's people know I am willing to help her out in promoting her films... for a small remuneration. LOL

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Louise Vale first woman to play Jane Eyre in the flickers.