The Great Debaters (2007) * * *

 

Directed by:  Denzel Washington

Starring:  Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, Denzel Whitaker, Nate Parker, John Heard, Jurnee Smollett, Kimberly Elise, Jermaine Williams

The Great Debaters is an underdog sports tale in which the underdogs are not athletes, but the debate team at small Wiley College in Texas during the 1930's.  Their coach Mel Tolson (Washington) is firm, committed, and believes they can win enough debates to soon face off against the best debate teams in the country, including Harvard.  Mel, however, also attempts to unionize the local sharecroppers which doesn't sit well with the local sheriff (Heard) and other farmers.  There is discrimination, racism, and the threat of violence against black people all around, which makes Mel push his team harder not just to be great debaters, but to secure their futures in a hostile world. 

Washington's directorial debut was Antwone Fisher (2004), which I saw a long time ago and would like to revisit.  In that movie and this one, Washington directs and takes on a supporting role, allowing his younger cast to shine.  The actors are very good, with veteran Forest Whitaker as the college president and father of one of the debaters offering steady support as well.  The debating scenes are not as stirring as Washington would like them to be, mostly because debating is not as cinematic as running with a football or hitting a game-winning home run.  

In the end, Wiley College takes on Harvard (who are seen as the best in the world at debating), although in real life Wiley took on USC, but I suppose Harvard has more prestige than USC.  Mel's team gets their moment in the sun, and when we realize the hard decades which lie ahead, it's moving to see it happen.  Washington can move a scene along and his presence as an actor is always helpful.  The Great Debaters is tricky ground, but Washington can handle it.