Glory Road (2006)

I really liked this movie for one simple reason: No matter what's the color of your skin, we are all equal. No one should be underestimated.This movie shows that old, and sadly sometimes not so old, mentality and belief that white people are superior. It shows how white people didn't believe a team based on black players could beat a white team. They believed they didn't have both the quality and the intelligence to play basketball. I would strongly recommend this movie since it shows how society was back in the 60s and how it has changed throughout the years. If you are looking for a sports movie with some message, this is definitely a good choice.

Although the storyline is quite touching, I did find the movie predictable and corny in parts. The fact that it's based on a true story, saved the film but I have seen this type of concept many times before. The movie was released at the peak of heroic sport movies like Gridiron Gang, We Are Marshall and Invicible so it went down well with audiences and it made a healthy profit. Anyway, the film is about a basketball coach, Don Haskins, who is out to find the best players to play for a small Texas Western College. After looking at many players, he finally recruits a few black players to join his team, which doesn't go down well with the people of that state. Whilst out on the road playing against various teams, the players have to go through some gruesome racism which nearly breaks there moral but the tough couch holds the team together and he makes them focus on the things that are important. Against all odds, the successful team changed history by becoming the first all black team to win a championship so it's quite an emotional film, especially the bonus footage of the real Don Haskins. After watching movies like Coach Carter with Samuel L. and Remember the Titans with Denzel, I honestly don't think that Josh Lucas was the perfect choice to portray such a powerful individual. I liked the chemistry between the players and they did pull of some good moves on the court but there's been too many movies after this, that have been a lot better. Average!Round-Up: What happened to Josh Lucas's career? At one point, he was in big movies like A Beautiful Mind, the Lincoln Lawyer, J.Edgar and Hulk but he wasn't the leading actor in those films. At 44, he still has a way to go before he becomes a household name but he has a Kevin Costner style of acting which is always needed in movies. As this movie was made under the Walt Disney umbrella, it was obvious that it was going to be a feel good movie that will touch your heart. It's the only movie directed by James Gartner so I can't really compare his previous work to this film. His only experience was on a short in 1983 as a producer so he really hasn't got that much experience in the movie making world. With that in mind, this movie made quite a bit of money at the box office so I'm surprised that he hasn't made any other movies. Anyway, it's a feel good movie about a man who searched for perfection from all of his players, no matter what colour they were and his determination and brutal training paid off at the end.Budget: N/A Worldwide Gross: $43millionI recommend this movie to people who are into their sports/biopic movies about a basketball coach who hired the first black players to try and get the perfect team. 4/10

A well meaning but formulaic film, James Gartner's "Glory Road" stars Josh Lucas as Don Haskins, head coach of Texas Western College. Based on a true story, and set in the late 1960s, the film details the formation of the NCAA's first all black starting lineup.At its best, "Glory Road" explores issues of racism, discrimination and social isolation. At its worst, this is a reductive, by-the-numbers film whose climax assigns false triumph to ongoing issues. There's also something tawdry about a co-production between Jerry Bruckheimer and Walt Disney Pictures attempting to promote black consciousness and black pride.Still, "Glory Road" sheds some light on an interesting part of history. It climaxes with a 1966 championship game, a game which would mark a key point in racial integration, and instigate a shift from basketball being labelled a white sport to it becoming a primarily black activity (in terms of race association and participation). "Glory Road" co-stars Jon Voight as a weaselly rival coach.7/10 – See "Inside Moves" and "He Got Game".

Glory Road. A real life events turned to a movie. The movie is all about a coach (or may be I could say a 'Girls' Coach', as has been named a few times in the movie, cause he was a girls coach before. But he was not only that. Take my words on that)who accumulates players from different territories to form a Basketball team.Basketball team of the college, he is a coach. Since, his college is short of funds, he don't get that big names cause all are already taken up. He still chose 12 from different walks of life, out of which 7 are black and 5 are white. Considered as an underdog, the team finally raises to winning their games to the finale. Where they met, the Kansas, reigning Champion and a seasoned. But, they beat them and won not only National Championship but Glory as well. In between, they were put down by 'crackers', people who can't digest the blacks playing the game or may be playing it so well :-)"If you will quit today, you will be quitting, each and every day for the rest of your life."Verdict: A nice one.