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Great Debaters, The
The Weinstein Company


8.2

based on 32 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 27 votes
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Rate this movie

FILM:

Antwone Fisher

MPAA RATING: PG-13 for depiction of strong thematic material including violence and disturbing images, and for language and brief sexuality

Starring Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, Jurnee Smollett, Denzel Whitaker, Kimberly Elise, and Nate Parker

Believe in the power of words. Inspired by a true story, The Great Debaters chronicles the journey of Professor Melvin Tolson, a brilliant but volatile debate team coach who uses the power of words to shape a group of underdog students from a small African-American college in the Deep South into a historically elite debate team. A controversial figure, Professor Tolson challenged the social mores of the time and was under constant fire for his unconventional and ferocious teaching methods as well as his radical political views. In their pursuit for excellence, Tolson's debate team receives a groundbreaking invitation to debate Harvard University's championship team. [The true story saw the team debating the University of Southern California.] (Weinstein Company)

GENRE(S):	Drama
WRITTEN BY:	Robert Eisele
DIRECTED BY:	Denzel Washington
RELEASE DATE:	Theatrical: December 25, 2007
RUNNING TIME:	123 minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	USA

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

This is a film that is affirming and inspiring and re-creates the stories of a remarkable team and its coach.

Philadelphia Inquirer Carrie Rickey

A triumph. Unapologetically old-school, in both the literal and metaphorical meanings of the term, Debaters overlays the story of social underdogs onto the familiar template of the stand-and-deliver saga, the staple of sports inspirationals like "Rocky," "Invincible" and "The Karate Kid."

ReelViews James Berardinelli

Ultimately an uplifting movie because it is about triumph.

New York Daily News Jack Mathews

The three young actors are good, but the movie is held together from beginning to end by another riveting performance from Washington. Few actors can dominate a film with their diction as well as Washington, and the role of the erudite, passionate Mel Tolson gives him plenty of opportunity.

Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

The Great Debaters is like one of those sentimentally revved youth-sports-team crowd-pleasers. This time, though, the sport is debating, and the setting is an elite black college in Marshall, Tex., in 1935

Chicago Tribune Michael Phillips

Good story, well told. Interesting concept. I wonder if people will go for it.

San Francisco Chronicle Walter Addiego

An edifying and forthright drama that aims to create a lump in the throat, and succeeds.

Christian Science Monitor Peter Rainer

Succeeds in bringing a lump to the throat without, as is de rigueur these days, insulting our intelligence.

Charlotte Observer Lawrence Toppman

Eisele and Washington lacked faith in their material. So they've made the big debate opponent not USC but Harvard, a more clear-cut epitome of the white world of privilege that has to face the hard truths of racial equality.

Boston Globe Wesley Morris

For a film about the power of speech, it's the quiet moments of rapture that say everything.

Portland Oregonian M. E. Russell

If I had to pick one word to describe The Great Debaters, it would be "nutritious."

Time Richard Schickel

The film may be manipulative in its construction, and cliché-ridden in some of the incidents it recounts, but it has a good, large heart.

Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern

Mr. Washington is splendid, as always. So is Forest Whitaker as James Farmer, Sr.

Washington Post Stephen Hunter

It's a great family movie, if not historically perfect, and something that a lot of people are going to like.

Chicago Reader Jonathan Rosenbaum

Conceived like a sports movie, this delivers passion, nuance, and historical insight along with unnecessary hokum.

Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan

Because it is so old-school Hollywood, with a weakness for standard moments and pat situations, The Great Debaters initially comes off as easily dismissible. Largely saving it from that fate is the presence and ability of Denzel Washington, who costars with Forest Whitaker and directs from Robert Eisele's script.

Newsweek David Ansen

Wouldn't it have been more fascinating if, just once, they had to argue, as all debate teams must, against their own beliefs? That would have really tested these amazing kids' mettle--and the movie's too.

Variety Todd McCarthy

Tailor-made for maximum inspirational, historical and educational impact, The Great Debaters shines a bright spotlight on a remarkable example of black achievement long forgotten in the sorry history of the Jim Crow South.

The Hollywood Reporter Kirk Honeycutt

An earnest drama about the search for self-esteem and sense of responsibility among young black people that successfully relies on its fine actors.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold

Not the most thrilling of competition films. There are only two short debate scenes, and each time the team gets to argue (in sound bites of rhetoric) the politically correct side of the issue.

Baltimore Sun Michael Sragow

Even when you're disappointed with the film's predictability, there's something invigorating about the way it embraces literacy and argument.

USA Today Claudia Puig

An enjoyable, rousing film, despite its formulaic quality.

Premiere Glenn Kenny

While The Great Debaters' intentions don't lead it to movie hell, this picture is far more diffuse, commonplace, and predictable than the surprisingly convincing "Fisher."

New York Post Lou Lumenick

There's an air of extreme predictability and inevitability in the script - which takes liberties like moving the climactic debate from the University of Southern California to the grander precincts of Harvard.

The New York Times Stephen Holden

The wonder is that The Great Debaters transcends its own simplifying and manipulative ploys; it radiates nobility of spirit.

Salon.com Andrew O'Hehir

About midway through Denzel Washington's new film The Great Debaters comes a raw and terrifying scene that exemplifies why the movie's worth seeing, despite its hackneyed and awkward story.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Keith Phipps

Too bad the story is all over the place. One second, it focuses on a love triangle between students; the next, it's about Washington's efforts to unionize the local farmers.

TV Guide Ken Fox

Polished, pokey and cloyingly formulaic, Denzel Washington's directing follow-up to "Antwone Fisher" is a Harpo -- as in Oprah spelled backwards -- Production all the way.

Austin Chronicle Marjorie Baumgarten

The film is hobbled by the narrative predictability that inevitably governs this type of drama.

Village Voice Nick Pinkerton

The film avoids potentially interesting frictions by always letting the team debate (and win) on the "correct" side of every issue--that which aligns with generally accepted modern liberal sympathies. The kids follow their party line all the way to the big game, a ridiculous, fallacy-riddled face-off against Harvard.

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Liam Lacey

All of this unfolds with such predictability, the title might as well be The Great Foregone Conclusion.

Miami Herald Connie Ogle

The Great Debaters keeps things on the surface and pushes the obvious buttons, hoping you won't notice its distinct lack of depth.

The average user rating for this movie is 8.2 (out of 10) based on 27 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

George Movie gave it an8:
Just a very good movie with superior acting.

Justin C. gave it a0:
Director Denzel Washington and producer Oprah Winfrey sizzle up the bacon with a smart idea. And you know what? This idea succeeds, director Denzel Washington certainly functioned this film with a heart, but no soul. It is mechanically let out, sappy, and weak. It isn't the spoiled product Denzel and Oprah are selling, and making money off of, and the Golden Globe nomination. It is the motion capture, it has crisp cinematography, but no fun. The day time being used for each scene is practically a seemingly 3:15 in the afternoon, with that sun starting to set, all nice and bright. It just bores you by the poor lighting, and camera-shot views. There is nothing special about this, just that I am very surprised what I am seeing here on the internet. What's the hype anyway? I didn't know so many people liked Oprah. Maybe its Denzel Washington, coming back to life on the big screen a month or so later than his previous installment American Gangster, starring as Frank Lucas. Just the problem with The Great Debaters is that Denzel's argument is Exceedingly weak, racism about black people in most movies is a settling downfall to see them do the exact same thing again in this. And they obviously win the debate, but its just a bore, it is pointless. The story is good, the movie could have came to a great success, but I was just left Awfully disappointed. This is probably the biggest letdown of the year.

pete l. gave it a10:
The story takes the viewer back in time, and masterfully gives the viewer a peak of what used to be.Washington as always is amazing, along with the other actors notably the young Denzel Whitaker. A MUST FOR ALL AGES AND RACE.

Billy S. gave it a6:
It may star Denzel Washington, he may have directed it, and he does both with commendable results, but The Great Debaters has got Oprah Winfrey written all over it. You've got oppression and rising above it, finding your inner-self and becoming true to your spirit, following your dream and realizing it's in your grasp, just hold on to it and become the beautiful downtrodden soul that you truly are. The only thing missing was a placard hailing Borak Obama and a plug for her school in South Africa!! If you love the teachings of the Oprah, you'll love this movie, if you love Denzel, go see American Gangster.

Andrew K. gave it a10:
Unforgettable story of tenacity in the face of naked oppression.

Laura V. gave it a10:
They really should have used USC instead of Harvard to give USC credit for being one of the early universities trying to break down the color barriers. That would be my only critique. Otherwise, it's a fine study of human courage in the face of adversity and keeping one's dignity when put in horrible situations.

Chad S. gave it a7:
A college/university, even in a traditionally republican-voting state like Oklahoma, are liberal bastions that repudiates the opposing ideology of its conservative constituency. The sometimes hokey, sometimes uplifting "Great Debaters" ably demonstrates this demarcation when Wiley College debates Oklahoma City. Wiley wins the debate(scored by university officials), but not the hearts and minds of the people(townies). As each racial group claps subjectively on the topic of intergrating colleges, you're reminded of the O.J. Simpson trial when television cameras captured our country's ongoing racial division after the jury's verdict of innocence was announced. A film like "The Great Debaters" is bittersweet because our country has a long way to go. Henry Lowe(Nate Parker) is the heart of the film. After witnessing a lynch mob put the finishing touch on a desecrated man, Henry retreats into the role of "The Invisible Man"(the Ralph Ellison novel) because he sees no future for an educated black man. Henry doesn't forget where he comes from(a backwater). Hamilton(Jermaine Williams), on the other hand, quits the debate team because of Mr. Tolson's politics. He forgets who he is.

Great Debaters, The The Weinstein Company

Great Debaters, The
The Weinstein Company