Surprisingly incoherent and boring

It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

"The Great Debaters" was Denzel Washington's second movie as a director and it is one of the best movies that he has ever done. The movie stars Washington as Professor Melvin B. Tolson who teaches at Wiley College which at the time during the 1930's was an all black college located in Texas. As the title of the movie happens to give away during the early scenes of the movie Tolson decides to start a debate team that even though it has very few members during the course of the movie the team proves to be very effective with a strong winning record when it comes to debating other colleges from all across the country climbing the ladder from debating just black colleges in the beginning to debating white colleges near and towards the end of the movie. The team members include James Farmer Jr. (Denzel Whitaker, who isn't related to Forest Whitaker) whose father James Farmer Sr. (Forest Whitaker) also happens to be a college professor, Samantha Booke (Jurnee Somllett-Bell) and a few others. Washington's direction for this movie is so good along with Robert Eisele's screenplay the movie really makes you feel like you are really there in the debate audience watching these characters or at least that's how I felt while watching the movie. This isn't the only movie that Denzel Washington starred in in 2007 the other film being Ridley Scott's "American Gangster" which was also based on the true story of mobster Frank Lucas in which Washington also happened to give a great performance. Because of this movie i'm looking very much forward to seeing the other two films that were directed by Denzel Washington which are "Antwone Fisher" (2002) which was his first film as a director, and his most recent film "Fences"(2016). This is the best civil rights drama that I have seen so far and is one of 2007's very best films.

It's a good film definitely but something that could have been much better. Racism is what this film is about I can say. But the debates are equally interesting. It's tough to debate on anything without having much knowledge about the topic. If we were to debate then we must have full knowledge of what we are talking about. The actors here have precisely done that, they seem to be in control of a good director and make us believe that they are fully aware of the topic of the debate.Denzel Washington is the director and also acts in the movie and I am sure this was the toughest thing to do. To act is much easy than directing, but to do both and still make it good is terrific. I am happy that Denzel almost pulled it off with neat direction.Yes, I have qualms from this movie. It's very nicely packaged but at the end leaves a void and leaves us with a wish of how much could this have been. I wish it was more about debates than about personal turmoil and conflict. There is a love story, a parent-child relationship and the relationship of teacher and students. Except for the love-story, the other things are fine. I wish still that this love-story that was between Samantha Booke (played by Jurnee Smollet) and Nate Parker (played by Henry Lowe) was not needed.It's a film based in 1930's and the production design, the art direction have worked well. They are pretty decent and seem to take us through that period of 1930's. The cinematography was just good, but I believe there was lot much scope in this film and considering that film was made in 2007, I suppose full potential of camera was not used. My biggest crib is editing though, there are few scenes that I believe were not needed and cut have been cut. The second biggest crib is in writing, I suppose that the material given was good, but not enough to make an interesting movie. So, I think that's the reason why uncalled from drama and relationships had to be added up in the screenplay.Surely, this is a good film, but some deep down thought and more focus on debating would have made it a great film. A 3/5 for a good film. For others, it's up to them to decide.

The Great Debaters is a no-holds barred depiction of a disgusting time in American history in an upsetting era of extreme racism in the south. Fine acting by the entire cast, particularly Nate Parker as Henry Lowe, an emotionally charged young black student without fear. He pushes Denzel Washington (Melvin Tolson) who teaches the students debating at Wiley College, an all-black college in Texas. Looking back from the present time, you think blacks, Texas, 1930's - this is not going to be pretty...and it wasn't.You feel the seething undercurrent of mistreatment throughout, starting with the young woman (Jurnee Bell as Samantha Booke) who arrives in town to attend Wiley. She gets off the bus and the only bench is marked - whites only. Fights, arrests, guns, violence (some direct, some implied), lynching, the whole 9 yards. Sometimes I felt like I wanted to cry, other times, just throw something. The utter stupidity of the times is shocking.I guess the film, backed by Oprah and Denzel, really wanted to show how much blacks have had to overcome, and how there were many who preached using your mind, and words, not violence, to debate, to fight, to stand up for yourself - to get ahead.The final scene involves the juxtaposition you would expect from a typical Hollywood ending. Rich, white kids facing off against poor, black kids. Who will win? Let me just say that the final speech from the young Mr Farmer will move you.If you liked Ghandhi, or even Mississippi Burning, you will enjoy The Great Debaters. The only critique is the film editing, where they probably could have shortened many scenes to bring this closer to 100-110 minutes - minor point.Enjoy.

Two of society's evils publicly condemned by Oprah Winfrey are violence against women and racial oppression. Unsurprisingly, Harpo Productions' (Oprah spelt backwards) latest offering is a period drama that not only speaks about racial violence, but the courage of real people and what they did to overcome it.Set in 1935 Texas, a time before public swimming pools and colored swimming pools, a time when it was not derogatory to call African-Americans "Negros", Wiley College professor Melvin Tolson (Denzel Washington) assembles a team of young black Americans in preparation for the annual inter-college debate competition. Comprising of James Farmer Jr. (Denzel Whitaker), Henry Lowe (Nate Parker) and Samantha Booke (Jurnee Smollett), the team quickly gains momentum with an undefeated winning streak. Populated by the traditionally black community of rural Texas, Wiley College enters the championship league, but must now face their greatest advisory – an all-white team from the acclaimed Harvard University. But even before they have a fair chance, Tolson faces allegations of stirring political unrest as a black communist, leaving the team to go on without their coach.The outcome of the final debate, though a tear-jerker, is just one amongst various highpoints in this remarkable film. At the very core is the bleeding cry for truth and justice – quintessentially manifested by outstanding portrayals from Farmer Jr, Parker and Smollett, not forgetting Denzel Washington and Forest Whitaker (as James Farmer Sr.) in fiery supporting roles. Adapted from Tony Scherman 's journal on American Legacy, Robert Eisele's screenplay is a driving force with just the right pace and depth that induces a strong yearning to learn about an untold but dark story before America's so called 'Golden Years'. Borrowing from actual events, Eisele's premise is a juxtaposition between Gandhi's Satyagraha and Martin Luther King's Civil Rights movement, making this not just a true story, but the biopic of a man that would become a modern American poet - Melvin Beaunorus Tolson.At a time when it is politically incorrect to call an ethnic race by the color of skin or traditional sustenance, "The Great Debaters" is a film with a story that boldly refuses to remain hidden within the forgotten pages of history. In comparison, this film could have been executed with the darker tone of "Mississippi Burning" or perhaps even a lighter shade similar to "The Help". In essence, it remains an intellectual masterpiece with a purpose – a stark reminder that racism still exists. As does slavery.By his inherent nature of on-screen charisma, spit-fire dialogue and tenacious characterization, Denzel Washington is a cinematic marvel and nothing short of a silver screen incendiary. But if these are his traits as a skilled actor, then this film is all the more inspiring, encouraging and uplifting because "The Great Debaters" also benefits from having Denzel Washington as the director. Oh yes, Oprah Winfrey would be proud!