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Movie Review: The Great Debaters

‘Great Debaters’ scores high marks

By Michael Farrar

Special to 2theadvocate.com

Denzel Washington is "The Great Debaters."
Courtesy of The Weinstein Company
Denzel Washington is "The Great Debaters."

The Great Debaters
PLAY OFFICIAL TRAILER
Starring:
Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, Jurnee Smollett, Kimberly Elise, Gina Ravera
Crew:
Director, Denzel Washington; Writer, Robert Eisele, Suzan-Lori Parks
(Running time: 2 hrs. 3 days)
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Critic's Rating: out of 4 stars.
Movie Poll:
2theadvocate.com poll
Have you seen “The Great Debaters?" If so, what did you think? Was it...
Excellent
Good
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Can a double academy award-winning actor champion the true-life tale of a small-time college debate team on the big screen and make it entertaining? When that actor is Denzel Washington and the film is "The Great Debaters" the answer is a solid “Yes!”

"The Great Debaters" is far from a one man show. It has an excellent cast including another Oscar-winning actor, Forest Whitaker, portraying Professor James Farmer Sr., and Nate Parker as Henry Lowe, who both shine in their respective roles.

"The Great Debaters" is based on the 1935 debate team of Wiley College, a historically black school, near Marshall, Texas. The small group of students gets their minds sharpened and confidence boosted by the unflinching lessons of their teacher, Melvin Tolson (Washington).

The mighty little Wiley College debate team starts mounting an unprecedented winning streak, but the debate coach's personal politics threatens his job and the team's chances.

Of course, Washington is completely his own man, but I am reminded of other rugged characters portrayed by Sidney Poitier, and Kirk Douglas that intelligently stood against the odds and refused to bend their stance even when friendly allies begged or threatened them.

This is Washington's second time in the directing chair and just like in "Antwone Fisher," his directorial debut, the actor/director puts morality firmly in this movie’s center.

While lots of well-meaning movies fall apart from good intentions or a bad script, "The Great Debaters" functions smoothly scene by scene from Robert Eisele's screenplay.

There are plenty of superstar actors who take a shot at directing with poor or modest results, at best. Washington, however, has such a keen understanding of his own screen presence and how it serves the overall film that he creates a well-balanced production. His performance supports the movie’s momentum and adds to the overall quality.

There are some minor flaws when a touch of sentiment crops up in the team's final debates. I doubt that tugging on heart strings would win the day in a formal empirical debate, but it works for a movie audience which, after all, is on an emotional ride with the film's story.

Technically, you can say that "The Great Debaters" is Washington's film since he stars and directs it, but the movie actually feels like it belongs to the ensemble cast of characters. Even as they face the long odds of outscoring more polished college debate squads or the horrors of a lynching, there remains a genuine warmth among the characters.

Those with long memories stretching back more than a couple of decades will love seeing the authentic detail of small town America circa 1935. While those seeking a vibrant story with the complexities of shifting racial and economic politics will also find it engaging.

This film has intelligence, compassion and an emotional pacing that feels authentic without over-sweetening or over-the-top simplification. Don't just put "The Great Debaters" on your list of movies you mean to see... put it at the top.

 

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