Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Movie Review - COACH CARTER – Can’t Resist Sports Movies!

Name of the Movie – Coach Carter
Language – English
Genre – Sports Drama
Year of Release – 2005
Running Time – 136 minutes

I am a huge fan of sports movies – Right from Rudy and Field of Dreams to The Longest Yard and The Blind Side or for that matter even, Lagaan and Chak de India. And one of my all time favourites in this genre is Coach Carter – A true story based on the life of High School Basketball Coach Ken Carter (played by the charismatic Samuel Jackson).


The Man Ken Carter had created waves in the American Education System in 1999 when he did not allow the undefeated Richmond High School Basketball team and his MVP of the season to play due to poor academic performances.
Coach Carter Poster. Source: Google Images

The Movie Coach Carter is all about how Ken Carter leads the rude and spoilt team members of the school basketball team into changing their ways and becoming gentlemen of the sport and in life.


Richmond High Oilers Team predominantly contains young African-American players who have no goal in life or respect. Ken Carter is faced with stiff hostility when he tries to instill values into them. At the start of the movie, he makes all team members sign an agreement saying that if they do not do well in academics, they will not be allowed to play. He trains the team to play so effectively that they go from being the last to the top of the season. But when they start failing academics, he suddenly locks the gym and cancels all games and sends the team to the library to study. The whole town and the school turn against him to end the lockout and he finally gives in. But as a result of this, he resigns from his post as the head basketball coach. The scene where he returns to the gym to collect his things and finds the team studying there instead of playing is just amazing. Eventually, the players do well in academics and return to basketball too.

To make it through the high school playoffs they have to defeat the best team and reigning champions – St. Francis High School. The climax of the movie is this game between Richmond and St. Francis. Why don’t you watch and find out for yourself how it ends. :)

My Fav' scene from the Movie - Throughout the movie, Ken Carter keeps asking Timo Cruz (played by Rick Gonzalez) one question – What is your Deepest Fear? Cruz finally thus answers this question by quoting (an abridged version of) Marianne Williamson:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. "

My Rating - 
Definitely a must-watch movie for people who love sports, movies, and sports-movies!

2 comments:

  1. This film teaches so many things - from discipline to commitment to endurance. B-Schools should include this film in their curriculum. Great post and keep up the good work buddy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rightly said and it is included in the curriculum of some B-schools along with movies like The Pursuit of Happyness and Chak de India! Thanks a lot for reading and taking the time to comment! :)

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