"The Great Debaters"

Seen on: December 26, 2007

The players: Director: Denzel Washington, Writer: Robert Eisele, Cast: Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, Jermaine Williams, J. D. Evermore, John Heard

Facts of interest: Inspired by a true story, apparently.

The plot: It's the story of a Texas college professor who inspires his students to form a debate team and compete all over the nation. They even get to challenge Harvard for the national championship.

Our quick thoughts: Produced by Oprah Winfrey (yes, you read right), "The Great Debaters" is a mostly enjoying, yet often sappy inspirational drama that preaches more than it inspires. Denzel Washington and Forest Withtaker deliver solid acting performances, but the plot, as I already mentioned, often feels more like a sermon than a dramatic account of historic events. The racial issues portrayed in the film are often hard to swallow, but they fit the context. The debates undoubtedly account for the film's best sequences.

Freaky quote: "No, the time for justice, the time for freedom, and the time for equality is always, is always right now!" - Jurnee Smollett

The final word: Denzel Washington is a flawless actor and a dab hand at directing, but with a better script, "The Great Debaters" could have been even greater.