Remember the Titans

(2000)

Directed by

Boaz Yakin

Review by Todd Plucknett

Remember the Titans is the Boaz Yakin film set in 1971 Virginia. It follows T.C. Williams High School’s football team, the only integrated team in the district. It is an endlessly enjoyable and moving film, even if it is fairly predictable.

The film begins showing the school before the integration took place. The white players were worrying about losing their starting positions to the incoming black players. Coach Bill Yoast (Will Patton) was originally slated to head the team, but the district decided to give it to Coach Herman Boone (Oscar-winner Denzel Washington), the man who was coming up from North Carolina to be an assistant. Immediately at the summer football camp, the players simply refuse to have anything to do with each other. Ethan Suplee plays Louie Lastik, an offensive lineman that is the only one who looks at everyone as equal. Julius Campbell (Wood Harris) and Gerry Bertier (Ryan Hurst) are the core members of the team, both by talent and influence. They initially cannot stand each other, but their eventual friendship is what really brings the rest of the team together. Boone puts in every effort he can to turn this group of men into a team. The camp ends, and the team treats each other as brothers, even though the rest of the city protests the integration and despises everything about the opposing race. The eventual success and unity of the football team unites the city in exciting and inspirational fashion, all due to Boone’s relentless passion for football and winning.

The movie is driven by outstanding performances. Washington gives a fairly routine but highly effective turn as Boone. Patton gives the best performance of his career. He delivers one monologue in particular that will certainly give you chills no matter how many times you see the film (even if the number of viewings is in the multiples of 10). Hurst gives the best performance in the movie. He is the emotional and compelling character that makes the team and movie work. Harris is also extremely good as Campbell. Hurst and Harris really developed a great chemistry that made the friendship between the characters seem very genuine. Kip Purdue is very good as the new quarterback from California, and Donald Faison is effective as the loud mouth running back Petey Joens.

The film is also the dawning of the careers of people that would eventually become stars. Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling of Half Nelson and the immensely popular The Notebook plays a supporting role. Heroes star Hayden Panettiere is a true scene-stealer as Yoast’s football-loving daughter. Kate Bosworth of Superman Returns also plays a minor role as Bertier’s stubborn girlfriend. It is really fascinating to see where these actors started, compared to where they are now.

The film does have its share of problems though. The script is plagued by extremely corny scenes. However, it counters with some undeniably poignant and heartfelt ones. The actors playing the high school players are also entirely too old, one of them being 31 at the time of filming. At no point did I think it was possible that some of those people could be in their teens. In addition, the ending is very predictable, but it works. The problems are obvious, but your reaction at the end of the film will most likely be one of satisfaction and inspiration.

Remember the Titans is by no means an excellent movie, but it is a highly entertaining and endlessly watchable one. It really knows its football; most of the “action” scenes look as if they could be real. The pounding score keeps the film going. The performances are genuine, and the film really reflects a time period with consistent sincerity. Sometimes it pushes too hard and tries to be too crowd-pleasing. It is not the best movie made about football, but it is one that will never lose your attention and will keep you coming back for more.

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