| |
PRODUCER: |
Gary Lucchesi (Underworld, Aeon Flux), Tom Rosenberg (Underworld, Aeon Flux), Richard Wright (Underworld) |
| |
If you want to see what kind of film actor James Garner could create, don’t see Glory Road. Despite the confusing advertising, this is the product of James Gartner – a talented filmmaker, but one who apparently never played Jim Rockford.
Glory Road tells the true ground-breaking story that would end up changing the sport of basketball forever. In 1966, Coach Don Haskins (Josh Lucas) is offered an opportunity to move from coaching a girl’s high school basketball team to coaching the men’s college team at Texas Western in El Paso (now known at University of Texas at El Paso). Unfortunately, the school has little money to recruit the seven remaining players he needs to complete his team. Determined to recruit only players with the most potential, he signs on seven black players from around the country. To shape his players, he must force them to be the best they can be on the court, in the class room and in life. Tragically, as the team begins to win, the players are faced with growing discrimination and intimidation. Each must face their doubts and dig deep inside themselves to find the courage to follow their dreams and their coach. Ultimately, the coach shocks the nation when he reveals his starting line-up at the 1966 NCAA championship game … an all black player line-up … and changes the face of basketball forever when his team wins.
Despite an inspiring true story and an excellent performance by actor Josh Lucas, Glory Road is not one of the best sports movies ever. While the basketball action is well choreographed, there’s too much reliance on the sports announcer’s narration to tell the story. And, because the season’s outcome is relatively well-known and since the team was never really an underdog on the basketball court, it’s difficult for the filmmakers to raise the tension of the audience in portraying the games. It was a decent job nonetheless. However, the movie does an excellent job of telling the important story of racial prejudices in the 1960’s. It’s depiction of discrimination and violence is compelling. Unfortunately - as with any true story on the subject of discrimination - the ending is not quite satisfying because justice is never really served.
|
| |
On the Movie Night Traffic Light on a scale of GREEN meaning “Go – it’s a must see”, YELLOW meaning “Caution – it’s okay” and RED meaning “No - stop don’t do it."
We rate Glory Road YELLOW. Caution – although well done, there are better sports movies. |
