The Great Debaters (2007)

Formula films can be a tricky lot, especially with the dreadfully overused “underdog sports movie” template. Every time you step into one you pretty much know how it's going to work out, who's going to triumph, and when each of the various character setbacks are going to occur. But it's when you take formulaic tenets and apply them in unique ways that you can come up with an exceptional film. Here the creed is applied to my favorite of college bloodsports: debate. And it's not just debate here; it's debate as an allegory for civil rights circa 1935. Director and star Denzel Washington's second effort behind the camera is a finely paced, relevant, and uplifting film. The casting and acting are uniformly excellent, and the underdog struggles of African Americans in the film are depicted with just the right balance to be honest but never preachy. The argument isn't all perfection, though. While the debates and discussions and the intellectual food for thought brought to the table are wonderfully enthralling, like all movies of the template the personal issues around the players can be hit or miss. Thankfully the majority of the movie is on the good stuff, leaving the gristle to pop its head up from time to time to break up the pace. While it has the same failings as (by now) hundreds of movies of its ilk, this is the rare movie that applies its modus operandi to great effect, becoming a touching tribute to the struggles of a people.

8 out of 10.

Gracie (2007)

guest review by Phineas Gopher

Even though it is based on true events, Gracie doesn't ring true. It asks the viewer to look at the world (specifically the 70s) through the eyes of a teenage athlete who is denied the privilege of playing high school soccer because she's a girl. The politics behind this perspective get in the way of the story because the titular heroine isn't painted as a real person, but as a walking lump of stereotypical female rebellion. The cliches are so numerous, this almost becomes a sports movie parody. Its only effort to be unpredictable consists of making Gracie not really that good at soccer. What are we cheering for exactly? The inevitable triumphant ending is satisfying if you stick with the movie that long, but the feel-good fix is only a chaser to a pretty bland brew.

4 out of 10.

The Game Plan (2007)

Standard issue heart-warmer. Comes with all the features—a charismatic lead, a cute kid, and a completely predictable dilemma that leads to general purpose shenanigans and goings-on. It's easy to be exceptionally cynical about so-called “family films” so just put these comments in comparison with other films of the genre. It goes where you want it to go, and doesn't come off nearly as annoying as you expect it will. The chemistry between The Rock and The Kid is solid, and the rest is just as contrived as almost every other movie of this type. It's a decent film with a few laughs but has nothing you haven't already seen in every one of these kinds of movies. It's just another Disney film, but that's not all bad.

6 out of 10.

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