Coach Carter (2005) User Reviews (288)

Coach is a cut above.

[michaelRokeefe · 7/10 · 28 June 2005]

Realistic drama based on the true story of Coach Ken Carter(Samuel L. Jackson), a daring and inspiring coach that returns to Richmond High School in Richmond, California where he still held records from his basketball exploits. Carter accepts a little over $1,000 to work four months as basketball coach for a team of uncooperative, but heady young men. Carter has the players sign a contract to keep their grades up or be suspended from the team. When it is known that his players are not making the grade average and/or just not showing up for class; community outrage erupts when Carter benches his undefeated team and locks them out of the gym. In storybook fashion, the players left on the team bring their grades up and continue their Cinderella season to the state playoffs.

Typical slam dunks, ally-oops and no-look passes. PG-13 violence, language and sexual content. COACH CARTER stands and delivers. Worth watching more than once. Cast members include: Rob Brown, Channing Tatum, Robert Ri'chard, Antwon Tanner, Rick Gonzalez and a sterling performance from singer Ashanti. Jackson should be very proud of his outstanding portrayal as the inspiring coach.

A good story of a coach who believes his players can excel in life

[the-movie-guy · 8/10 · 12 January 2005]

'Coach Carter' is based on a true story of Coach Ken Carter, a controversial high school basketball coach played by Samuel L. Jackson. Coach Carter took the coaching job under his rules. He believed that the players must maintain good grades and become a united team or they would not play. All the team players signed his contract to do just that. The team was undefeated and on it's way to the 1999 State Championship, when Coach Carter received the low grades of his players. Coach Carter received national attention when he locked the gym and benched the whole team for poor grades. Coach Carter received some praise and much more criticism for his decision. This is a good inspirational movie of what one must do to excel in sports and in life. Coach Carter taught his players that they must be committed and work hard to excel. This is good movie for people who like sports. (Paramount, Run time 2:16, Rated PG-13)(8/10)

Great Plot,Cast,Director.Exceptional Drama.With Non-Hollywood Ending...

[killbill_tarantino2003 · 8/10 · 26 September 2005]

Sport obviously not the special themes for movies."Jerry Maguire","The Replacements","Any Given Sunday",etc.Hollywood already made it in like 1000 years ago.And mostly had great success in Box-Office and also great story.This year,Coach Carter prove it again.This movie was a representative for great Sport-movie in 2005!Coach Carter showed up and challenge this summer with Lots of wonderful and amazing things.Samuel.L.Jackson undoubtful again was the most stunning,excellent and superb actor of all time.He just could make it!Supporting by lots of great and amazing newcomers like Antwon Tanner or Channing Tatum.Maybe there was also the biggest mistake Ashanti joined this movie.However and Whatever it is,This Movie(plus the Promising Director:Thomas Carter!)was The Best!Loved it!Liked it!Two-Thumbs Up and crowds of applause for Coach Carter!

Good Movie

[Gundersonm · 30 January 2005]

"Coach Carter" is a well-made movie, and from what I have heard it stays true to the actual story. If you're sick of inspirational-type movies, then don't go see it, but otherwise I highly recommend it. All of the performances are at least tolerable, and most are really good. Samuel L. Jackson is great. Most sports movies have terrible action scenes, but the basketball footage in the movie is actually quite believable (for example, no short white kids dunking and things like that). The movie is very realistic, and the director has gone to great lengths to make it seem as true-to-life as possible. I think it works very well.

"Lean on Me" meets "Miracle"

[IMSandman · 7/10 · 26 June 2005]

I give this movie 7 stars.

All in all this is a good movie. As the title suggests, it is basically "Lean on Me" (Morgan Freeman) merged together with "Miracle" (Kurt Russell).

Of course the sport here is basketball instead of ice hockey, but the story is very good.

Jackson's performance was solid as expected and the supporting cast made the story believable. While it certainly was not the best sports movie ever made, it is based on a true story and is worth a rental if you like Samuel Jackson and/or if are into sports movies.

Happy Viewing!

It's about time there's a movie about morals.

[crity2re · 10/10 · 29 June 2005]

Honestly, I don't care about dates. I don't care about names, or stats, or if the writers got a bunch of stats confused. I mean did you actually watch the movie, or were you just looking at the screen for misprints on jerseys? To believe that some people can actually watch a movie and then complain that the time line is off with reality is beyond my comprehension. Who cares about the time line! It's not reality that you're watching, it's a movie. Movies, no matter how real the stories they are based on, are not real. They are altered. They are changed to make a better storyline.

If people can be dense enough to complain about names and numbers and dates, then they missed the big picture. They missed a great movie that actually conveys a real message. It's not about the sports, it's about the students. And it's not always about what you put in, it's about what you take out. It's about what you take away from the situation that you've walked into.

That's what this movie is about, not about basketball. It's about life, and how easily people give in and give up. It's about learning, and having faith that people will do the right thing. Yes, it's about public education, and a community on the edge of stupid, but there's more to it than that. You just have to stop looking, and watch.

This movie truly was excellent, right up there on the shelf next to "With Honors." But make sure you are really paying attention, otherwise, what's the point?

Coach Carter Review.

[IndianaFord · 7/10 · 24 January 2005]

Coach Carter is the story of a basketball coach who was persistent and had his priorities straight. The positive message the movie conveyed was that lives can be changed for the better through self discipline, hard work and the building of character. I was thinking to myself that the whole story was pretty believable, but then I looked into it and found it to be a true to life story so I guess it really is believable.

Samuel L. Jackson put in a convincing performance as the strict Coach Carter, as did the rest of the cast members. The movie, itself, was reminiscent of Lean On Me. It was the same basic story with the disciplinary figure helping the distraught kids through life.

I found it disappointing that the parent of the basketball team emphasized a mere game over something vastly more important, education. I rated this movie 7 of 10

"I Came To Teach Boys... And You Became Men."

[Megatron1234 · 10/10 · 12 October 2010]

This movie was fantastic! I first saw it during the last day of Summer School (yes, I went to Summer School. Shut up) and I have to admit that I did NOT want to watch it at first because it was a sports movie. But upon viewing this movie, I found that I liked it and enjoyed it. I then swiped the movie from my father's house and watched it every night for 3 nights straight. Here are the things that caught my attention.

1) Samuel L. Jackson. One of the greatest actors ever was in this movie so I was instantly drawn in and thought that I'd give it a chance.

2) The Music. Loved the music even though the majority is rap. It fit the movie perfectly.

3) The storyline. I really loved the story and the plot devices. The drama sequences were REALLY good.

4) The truth. This movie was pretty much dead-on to Ken Carter's real life experience. I watched the bonus feature "Coach Carter: The Man Behind The Movie" and it compared the movie to real life. It was like a perfect match.

My favorite lines were at the end spoken by Samuel L. Jackson after the final game. I always watch that every night. It's become kind of like a tradition for me. I showed this to my mom and she instantly fell in love with it, too.

So, all in all, really good movie. If I could rate this higher than 10 stars, I would've.

Points awarded for drama NOT for depth

[the_usual_suspect · 6/10 · 28 May 2005]

From the same school of plot development that Dangerous Minds attended, Coach Carter tells the story of the Richmond basketball team who learn that 'student' comes first in 'student athlete'. Cliché philosophy and lines such as "I met you as boys and now you're men" are given pride of place is this film, but for entertainment value and moral fortitude, you can't go far wrong with this effort from the director of Save the Last Dance.

The problem with the film as a media text is that it does not stand up to deconstruction. Behind the camera is a director who has no distinctive style. The action packed basketball scenes spice up this drama but never excel beyond music video quality, which is not an insult. The editing is snappy and mixed with the basketball beat of hip hop, the energy of the matches being truly communicated, but no effort is made to do something new with the camera angles. The way to enjoy this film is not to look beneath the surface, instead just allowing yourself to be carried away by the innocent excitement of simplicity.

Coach Carter was always going to need a strong lead to gain the substance that is has done. The no nonsense and iron willed demeanour that Samuel L. Jackson brings to the role makes him ideal for putting across the image of a man who can hold court in front of these hard life ghetto teens. What Jackson also brings is an amusing aggressive streak that make the audience glad they are not in the gym with this psycho who, despite pounding his players with endless 'submissions', still locks the gym when their grades don't come through.

Carter is a difficult character to understand. He seems ready to refuse entry to hard nut bad boy Timo Cruz (Rick Gonzalez), but caves in when Junior Battle (Nana Gbewonyo) turns up at his shop with his mother and begs forgiveness. As the film progresses however, we learn that Carter is doing everything he can to get his players into college and gain a life worth living, presumably to become what Carter himself has.

The players Carter strives to impact upon succumb easily to Carter's will. Occasional outbursts punctuate what is mostly a submissive relationship between coach and team and director Thomas Carter seems focused on delivering a realistic ensemble rather than the typical teen comedy entourage of weird and outrageous characters. It is a little unnerving being thrown into a gym with an unbreakable coach and a group of muscular teenagers who need to work to get average grades and can't roll off witty one-liners like the teenagers in other films in the genre. This decision to communicate realism is brave, but gives the film an enhanced depth that makes the lesson learned at the end more heart warming and honest. The ending is one of the film's three pointers, going against not only the conventions of the genre, but of Hollywood.

What lacks is subplot development. Timo Cruz's drug running is given screen time between matches but ends abruptly. Cruz shoots from being a hard case to being a shivering wreck on Carter's doorstep, in need of a strong father figure which I suppose we are to assume Cruz does not have. A little background here would not have been amiss. Cruz's doorstep tears also bring to attention the relationship between Carter and his son Damien (Robert Ri'chard), which appears very son-and-sir in nature. There is a hint of tension beneath the surface that we glimpse at when Damien arrives late at practise, and there may also have been an undertone of jealousy when Carter hugs Cruz, but this is not elaborated upon and there is a slight emptiness in their bond.

However, Coach Carter remains entertaining throughout. Realism and drama team-up to hit home hard the lessons that the team learn. Their struggle to overcome the stigma of their stereotypes is captured patiently, yet there is never a dull moment. Samuel L. Jackson brings a mountainous presence to his role that allows the audience to feel the film's extremes of pride and disappointment to a great extent. Involving emotionally and arresting dramatically, but superficial textually (although points awarded for fearlessness in parts of the subject matter).

Rating: 3/5 By Joshua Morrall

inspiring story

[asim34522-1 · 10/10 · 29 March 2008]

I was expecting nothing more than a basketball movie and at first was only going to watch this because there was nothing to do. At the end of the movie I was almost going to cry. I loved the movie so much. It wasn't just about basketball, about the story of the greatest basketball coach that ever lived. I loved the move, it was inspiring sad movie with some violence. I think there were about 80 people in the theatre and about 75 ended up crying at the end of the movie. It was detailed and shows how far a coach would go in order to put his team on the path of discipline, honour and commitment. My rating for this movie is an absolute 10/10. Watch this movie-I loved it

Enjoyable tale based on real deeds of Coach Ken Carter, a controversial high school basketball coach

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 19 September 2013]

A classic tale of self-improvement , triumph and redemption , being based on a true story . It begins on the street and it ends playing a state championship . Sport film with sentimental story and intelligent character studio . Classic story rings true because of Samuel L. Jackson 's complex and sensitive acting and stunningly realized by Thomas Carter . Exceptional Samuel L Jackson who gets a chance job coaching a High School team , displaying a first rate performance reaching an important milestone . It is set in Richmond where basketball is the sport of the Gods ; there a high school basketball team gets an opportunity , thanks to supposedly experienced coach . A coach with an experienced past trains a high school basketball team to become a top contender for the championship . Controversy surrounds high school basketball coach Carter after he benches his entire team for breaking their academic contract with him . The coach makes the team and each person in it , better than they thought possible . The physically unsuitable team to achieve for big time , thanks to the coach who triumphs over by odds , but sheer determination helps them attain their dream . The team was undefeated and on it's way to the 1999 State Championship, when Coach Carter received the low grades of his players. The team dreams of playing basketball final , no matter how far-fetched the dream .

This is an agreeable tale based on true events , it contains a classic plot and deals about a slice of American history , and is plenty of good feeling , heartfelt, interesting characters and formidable performances . However , being sometimes some sentimental and predictable but is still pretty amusing . Likable and enjoyable plot about a team and the coach , he carries out a hard challenge : Carter cancels all team activities and locks the court until the team shows acceptable academic improvement ; but both of them face the dual duel of bringing the players to the state championship and redeeming themselves . Splendid film from the filmmaker and writer John Gatins , of another David beats Goliath sports movie in which protagonists assume a difficult challenge . Sentimental plot stretches Hollywood manipulation , but is still entertaining . Samuel L . Jackson delivers an engaging acting as is backed by a good supporting cast such as Robert Ri'chard as his son Damien Carter , Debbi Morgan as his wife , Rick Gonzalez as Timo Cruz , Antwon Tanner as Worm , Vincent Laresca as Renny , Ashanti as Kyra, Texas Battle as Maddux and Channing Tatum who a bit later on would become a first world star ; in fact , Tatum had never played basketball before making the movie so he had to have individual training with the coaches to get up to speed with the other actors. Atmospheric and adequate musical score by Trevor Ravin , plenty of rap music . Fine production design and good sets , filmmakers had trouble filling the FieldHouse with extras for the final game, and needed to move people around when shooting different angles . The motion picture was compellingly directed by Thomas Carter , he's a notorious writer , producer , actor and director , as he realized other films for youth such as ¨Save the last dance¨ and ¨Swing kids¨. Rating : Better than average , worthwhile seeing and it ranked #4 on the highest opening weekend of any release from an MTV Film .

Terrific

[bob-rutzel · 8/10 · 25 June 2005]

Ken Carter (Jackson) takes over a losing California high school basketball team and employs extreme measures to turn things around.

Yes, we have seen this before: a hard-assed coach molds his players into the image he desires for them. Yes, Samuel L. Jackson pontificates a lot in here. But all coaches pontificate to a large degree and it is justified. And, yes, it is a little too long, but so what? The basketball scenes are truly something to behold. The acting all around is excellent. And, yes, this is a terrific movie.

Okay, now for the down side. Why does Carter wait until the team is 9-0 to find out his players are not living up the contract they signed with him? The players are falling behind academically and Carter locks them out of the gym until they turn things around. But, waiting until 9-0 doesn't seem to have bothered anyone. Something doesn't seem right here, but no one has questioned this aspect. Even Carter doesn't say he should have looked harder sooner. Why not?

Now, in real life Carter owned a sports store. That is probably the reason I kept seeing different uniforms for just about every different game. When some basketball game scenes opened I had to wait until Carter calls the team over to the bench to see what players were his team, and then I knew what color jerseys his team had on. Before that, the action was so fast and furious I couldn't really tell. It's not like the players' faces were widely recognizable to viewers.

This is must see movie.

Rims Out!

[spookyrat1 · 6/10 · 21 November 2018]

It's a sports movie that presses all the normal sports movie buttons, right through to the emotive climax. Down and out underperforming school basketball team from a poor socio-economic area, is led to salvation (in more ways than one) through the concerted efforts of a charismatic coach, who once attended the same school.

Oddly what we don't get in a two and a quarter hour "biographical" movie called Coach Carter, is to learn much about the man himself ... Ken Carter. We find out he is a passionate advocate for educational achievement and the chances and choices it can offer those with a will to succeed. We discover a few of the strategies he uses to develop the Richmond Oilers from a position as a lowly rung team to one that can challenge for a schools state championship. In achieving his own goals, unsurprisingly we uncover the fact that he doesn't mind treading on administrative, player and parental toes to attain his ambitions.

But that's about it. Yes he has a son called Damien who was also a very skilful player and played for the Oilers. He has some sort of retail business in Richmond and he has a loving wife whose name I'm not sure we even learn by the end of the film, she gets such little screen time. He is wonderfully played by the always distinguished Samuel L Jackson, but we find out little of his background, what makes him tick and why he seemingly, so suddenly wants to make a difference with the team and the team's school. His story is sketched so lightly that he just appears to come from nowhere.

Instead much of the running time of this long film explores the lives of some of the team's players and (ironically enough) their families. Apparently (based on the end credits) most are real people, but their stories are similar to what we've seen in any number of similar school/sports/urban teenage films where characters strive to overcome a variety of disadvantages and adversities.

The film has solid production values and the basketball choreography is first rate. But I was personally disappointed that by film's conclusion, the title character standing on the sidelines, calling all the shots and making all the big moves, was himself not fleshed out much past the cipher stage.

Good Message. Bad Movie (SPOILERS)

[Nick_J_S_86 · 3/10 · 17 January 2005]

I guess this movie is a tragedy, but not in the sense it was intended. The real tragedy in this movie is not losing in the playoffs but the abortion of the child. First off, I'm pro-choice-but there was absolutely no point in aborting the child in this film. The two lovers finally come up with a way to support the kid...and she goes and aborts it. What message is that trying to send?

I know it's just a movie, but there were several supposedly "tense" scenes that I had to restrain myself from bursting into laughter.

Scene #1-The drug dealer dies. And this is a tragedy why? I'm supposed to feel sorry for this person that get's gunned down when he's only been on the screen for five minutes and has made the impression of a very disreputable and unlikeable person. I guess I should feel sorry for worm or whatever his name is...but doesn't his cousin's death remove that unhealthy element in worm's life?

Scene #2- Worm's supposedly heartwarming monologue that was never really developed in the movie. I get the fact the he had inner conflict throughout the movie, I just never really seemed to care. And during his little diatribe in the gym (with the desks, etc.) I kept wondering: When did this solid F student, ex-drug dealer become a philosopher? Did he look up every word he's saying in the dictionary 5 minutes before coach Carter enters the gym? why doesn't the audience see that so it makes more sense?

Basically the movie boils down to this-it has a good message, Samuel L. Jackson is good, not great, but if you want a truly uplifting movie about inner city kids escaping the slums-I'd suggest you rent "Stand and Deliver".

Not your average basketball movie

[cstu11 · 15 January 2005]

While basketball is used as the backdrop for the movie, Coach Carter really isn't about basketball. The real heart of the movie is in the way Coach Carter begins to turn the lives around of the players on his basketball team by showing them that someone actually cares about what happens to them after high school.

At one point in the movie Carter (played perfectly by Samuel L. Jackson) asks a player why he plays basketball and he responds with "to win the state title" - which of course gets him high fives from the rest of the team. Carter then asks the team who won the state title last year and nobody knows the answer. Carter tries to show his players that high school basketball is not about winning but about discipline, respect and the confidence to accomplish any goal.

If you are thinking about going to see Coach Carter as a basketball movie, I suggest seeing another movie, but if you want to see a truly inspiring story go see Coach Carter.

Great Sports Film

[nmakhija23 · 7/10 · 16 January 2005]

Coach Carter was an excellent sports film that will keep you interested the entire movie. Other than basketball, there are many sub-issues that are entertaining such as the players relationships with their girlfriends, the coach's life outside the court as well as many other things.I think this is one of the best basketball films since Hoosiers and any film-goer or sports fan would think the same. Samuel L. Jackson of course did excellent as usual. There were many new actors in the film as well that made there presence known. With the drama on the court, there was also some hysterical scenes which made people laugh and was a good mix into the film.

Well THIS I Did NOT Expect!

[MovieGuyFunTime · 10/10 · 5 March 2021]

I didn't know much about this movie and decided to watch it basically on a whim. BOY was I surprised at how great it was!

One might easily get the impression that this is just another "New Unorthodox Coach Turns Gang of Misfits Into Champions" kind of movie and one would be right... up to a point. However, at that point this movie takes off and accelerates to a much higher plane of story-telling. Characters steadily develop from people you might first despise (rude punks) into proud, respectable young men.

Yes, the movie starts out predictably enough but it only uses that "New Coach for Bad Team" cliche to get the ball rolling (or bouncing I should say).

The performances are all fantastic and mostly by relative unknowns as they were primarily cast based on their athletic abilities and it really shows. The actual game sequences are phenomenal and the actors themselves are the ones actually on the court doing those amazing things! The games are exciting and nail-biting. You really feel for the players.

But the real message of this story is in how the coach puts life lessons and education first. Even as the last-rated team becomes a top contender, that isn't enough for the coach to ignore their failing grades and over-confident, cocky attitudes. No, he sets them straight and in the end, they love him for it.

This is one of the most uplifting movies I've seen in a long time. If you love a great sports movie with a lot of heart and based on real life, then you will probably enjoy this film. Heck, even if you don't like sports you will probably enjoy it.

Definitely watch the "special features" if you can view it on DVD. It is almost as much fun as the movie... and it will make you appreciate the movie even more as well.

Earnest After School Special

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 20 March 2014]

Successful sporting goods store owner Ken Carter (Samuel L. Jackson) accepts the basketball coach job from his mentor at his old high school. It's a poor underachieving school. He forces his kids to sign a contract to maintain academics. He calls the kids 'sir' as a sign of respect. It's a struggle with the kids, but it's even more of a struggle with the adults. It climaxes to a point where coach Carter locks out the players when they don't maintain their academics.

This is all a very earnest after school special. Coach Carter is a saint beyond reproach. The thing that I wish for is an early ally for Carter. It seems that everybody especially the adults are piling on. Even if true, it doesn't make for a compelling story. It's overkill. An ally could create more complex relationships in the adults of the movie.

The other thing I noticed is that the movie reaches its climax around the lockout. The games after the lockout don't have much drama. The movie is about the lockout, not about any championships or game winners.

One of the best movies around

[cool_as_ice14 · 10/10 · 24 October 2005]

This movie isn't just about sport but has an underlying moral message which is been shown throughout the film. Sport won't get you far unless your a great but study and hard work in school will get you everywhere. Enter, a town that is quite poor and a basketball team who just want to win. Once Ken Carter accepts the job, the whole team changes and it is for the better. Another message this film teaches is respect, at the beginning just after meeting the boys, Ken expresses a need for the boys to show respect not only for themselves but for their friends and elders. He does this by explaining how the word 'nigger' can be used as a degrading term and how by dressing themselves with respect, behaving respectfully isn't bad at all.

As soon as I saw this film, I knew that I wanted to see it. It has everything that makes a great movie, action, great dialog and most importantly, a good moral message and in a time where morally corrupt movies are on the rise, a great movie like this is a rare find.

Intiallly, my friends didn't want to see this movie with me as they thought it was boring, and too intense but after months and months of waiting, I finally hired it out on DVD and watched it.

You can actually take things away from this movie and it has a very good morals which can be applicable to everyone.

Better than average sports movie

[shemarnold · 7/10 · 15 July 2018]

Ive seen lots of sports movies that are feelgood stories where a struggling athlete/team of no hopers succeed on the court and become better people and Coach Carter is the same. It isn't original but the story is told well. The backstories of the players are a bit flimsy but it's better for it and doesn't descend into the cheesiness of many movies of this type. Pleasantly surprised and my wife enjoyed it too so one for the men to choose on movie night.

a terrific movie

[jpintar · 8/10 · 21 June 2005]

Coach Carter is one of the best movies of the year and one of the best movies I have seen. Samuel L. Jackson gives one of his best performances as the new head basketball coach at his high school alma mater. Carter makes his team do sprints, pass, and play as winners not just as individual players. Plus he makes the team keep at least a C+ average in school and that they attend classes. When they fail to keep that average, he cancels practices and some games until they keep their grades up. I personally like what Coach Carter teaches them. Basketball will not always be there for them. If they get an education, they can have a life after high school and even go on to college. Coach Carter makes his team winners both on and off the court. I wish there were more coaches like Coach Carter in both high school and college to prepare young people for life as adults.

Over-all a good movie

[katherine_donnelly11 · 7/10 · 4 September 2005]

Over-all Coach Carter is a very touching and moving story about a basketball team that didn't have much hope in winning or having any hope to Succeed in school and go on to college, But after the arrival of Coach Ken Carter(Samuel L.Jackson) a former student at Richmond High school the Student-Athletes worlds are flipped upside down. This film worth watching over and over, the story line is very good and the acting is even better. Rick Gonzalez who plays a troubled young man by the name of Timo Cruz, Out-shines Samuel L. Jackson's performance by far. This film is a must see not only for basketball fans but for anyone who wants to watch a good movie. ~K~

Terrific

[view_and_review · 9/10 · 9 March 2021]

I have a few reasons for loving this movie:

1. It's a sports movie and there's hardly a sports movie that I don't like.

2. It's a true story which makes it doubly good.

3. It's based in Richmond which is close to where I grew up.

"Coach Carter" was a different kind of sports movie. Sure, it involved a worst-to-first element and a hard nosed coach ala "Remember the Titans" and "Miracle," but it was monumentally different in that Coach Ken Carter (played by Samuel L. Jackson) wasn't all about basketball. He was willing to halt basketball altogether if that's what it took for his players to focus on school and pick up their grades.

What makes this movie, and Coach Carter's move, so compelling is that he had a winning basketball team. When Carter took over the Richmond High School hoops team they had just come off of a 4-22 season. That's atrocious by any estimation. Coach Carter promised to make them winners if they followed his plan, but before any of that, every player would have to sign a contract. The main precepts of the contract were that they'd be on time for practice, maintain a 2.3 GPA, sit at the front of their classes, and wear a tie on game day. These are not unreasonable demands, but you'd have thought he asked for them to give blood the way some of the players reacted.

Those that signed the contract and adhered to Carter's rules were allowed to play. What was the result? They were winners. They became very good. In fact, they were undefeated until Coach Carter received some progress reports and saw failing grades. It was then that he cancelled practices and games due to the players' failure to meet the terms of the contracts they signed. It was a ballsy move, but it truly illustrated how serious Carter was about these kids' education.

How many of us have the strength and fortitude to do the same? How many of us would bar our winning team from playing because they were failing? It's easy to lockout a losing team, but then that wouldn't be a story anyway--but locking out an undefeated team?!?! That's what men of principle do.

As a production and as a story I loved this movie, although I think Ashanti was seriously miscast. Someone forgot to inform her that she was playing someone from Richmond, California not Brooklyn, New York. As a California native it drove me crazy every time she spoke, like "You are not in New York!"

I had to get that off of my chest.

In spite of Ashanti, "Coach Carter" was a terrific movie.

Violence, Poverty, and Basketball

[artemis_5 · 7/10 · 2 May 2006]

I grew up 3 blocks from the Richmond border, and am all too familiar with the poverty, violence, and desperation that plagues its residents. In Richmond, like in many parts of this country, young men cope with the rough environment in which they grew up by playing basketball (jerseys are sported by just about any boy under 22).

Having gone to high school with these kids (or rather with the Richmond kids who were bussed to my local high school), I became familiar with their subculture. What struck me most about the movie was just how well it captured the boys that I knew from Richmond. Maybe urban culture is the same around the country, but having grown up near Richmond and San Pablo (another neighboring city), they were the only urban youth with whom I was familiar.

By the way, in case anyone was wondering about the party in the wealthy neighborhood to which the Richmond basketball team was invited, here in the San Francisco Bay Area, the communities are so close together that it is not uncommon for kids from poorer areas to hang out in areas that are more affluent, or to go to parties in those areas. However, I have heard that in other parts of the country, the "borders" between urban areas and the suburbs are not as fluid.

I do not remember reading about the dramatic victories of the Richmond High basketball team in the local paper, but I did take a community college class taught by an instructor who my mother told me once had Coach Carter in his class, and many of my clients have kids who were or are students at Richmond High.

After seeing so many films about events that took place years ago and far away, it was refreshing to see an interesting film about a community with which I am somewhat familiar. This film is worth at least a rental, particularly if you are from the East Bay.

On another note: Go, CAL Bears.....

The Only Highlight Here Is Samuel L. Jackson

[christian123 · 4/10 · 15 July 2005]

Based on a real life story that made national news in 1999, Samuel Jackson plays Coach Ken Carter, the controversial high school basketball coach who benched his entire undefeated team due to their poor performance in their classes.

I admire the message from Coach Carter but I did not actually like the movie. The story is your typical sports movie with all the clichés. The film is also based on a true story though I wonder how much of that truth was put into the movie. The film was very unrealistic at times and this brought down the quality. For example, the number of push-ups and suicides he makes them do every day is flat out ridiculous. There were a few other annoying parts but they didn't bring down the film too much. I also didn't like the way this movie handled abortion. Kyra (Ashanti) is pregnant and she is really excited about having the baby. Until, she breaks up with her boyfriend and she gets an abortion. She tells him this and all he says is, "aw man you should have told me, so I could have been there with you". This response was really stupid as was the whole subplot. This whole thing felt like MTV's approach to the problem, like it doesn't really matter.

The acting is quite strong and it is the only thing Coach Carter has going for it. Samuel L Jackson was great as Coach Carter and he made the film. If it wasn't for his presence, than the film would have been worse. Everyone on the basketball team also gave good performances though no one really stands out. Also, none of the characters were very interesting. Ashanti proves she can act with a decent performance here. However, she doesn't get a lot of screen time.

Sport clichés are pretty much unavoidable. It doesn't mean that the film is bad, it just means that there really isn't anything new. Miracle and Friday Night Lights were both clichéd yet both were good films. I can't really say the same for Coach Carter though. The film was just too long for a predictable story and it also lacked compelling characters. Miracle was also 134 minutes long yet it had interesting characters and it wasn't as dull. Even the basketball games in Coach Carter weren't very interesting and this hurt the film for me.

The movie also pounds it's message into the viewer's head without really giving a good argument. Yes, school should come first but it would be different in this case because most of the players only have basketball to rely on. They come from a poor neighborhood and even if they do get their grades up, most will still not go to college. The end of the film kind of proved that as only six of the players actually went to college. Even if they didn't go to college, the fact that they still tried to make something of themselves is still a nice message. Though I think the players should have focused more on basketball if that was their stronger point. In the end, I would still recommend Coach Carter but it really didn't do anything for me. Rating 4/10