Rama’s SCREEN

Denzel, one of the most respected figure in Hollywood, proves that he is just as good in directing as he is in acting. His second directorial film THE GREAT DEBATERS is this season’s most inspirational film. A remarkable drama of struggle and victory over injustice. This movie is bound to become… an instant classic that will stand the test of time. If you feel down and discouraged, go watch THE GREAT DEBATERS and prepare yourself to be amazed. It is truly one of the best films of the year and it has made a very perfect Christmas gift for movie lovers everywhere.

The true story about a professor who inspired a group of students of small town Wiley college in Texas to form the school’s first debate team and went on to challenge Harvard in the national championship. They will be faced with hardship not only from opposing debaters but also from the evils of segregation and racism.

Denzel’s directing is good, not great yet, but he’s definitely learning his way toward that direction.
I personally think his persona and right-on-the-target acting skill are what challenge his fellow co-stars to do the same and give their all.
Forrest Whitaker brilliantly plays a father who believes in civil rights and social justice but at the same time, his mind and faith have been weakened and he feels that things won’t be able to change and they will always stay the way they are… that any sudden signal of change only means danger to him and his family.
His son, played by Denzel Whitaker (that should give you a hint on which movie stars his parents are fans of) takes his father’s words of wisdom ‘You do what you have to do so you could do what you want to do’ and applies it by joining the debate team.

The storyline is the foundation and the frame that puts this movie together.
The fact that it’s based on a true story only makes it ring truer to the audiences. The story goes to show us that once your psychological mind is enslaved, that’s when you are truly a slave.
I really enjoy any movie that champions smart people. Movies that encourage young people to want to be educated.
It’s always good to have a movie like this with great moral message which teaches to use words as weapons instead of violence.

I think the debate portrayed in the movie is way different from reality today. Now we see a debate, we’d see two teams sometimes find themselves arguing their points at the same time, it gets heated.
In the movie, you see a debater from one team starts and finishes his or her argument and then afterwards, an opponent stands up and does the same.
Nonetheless, it doesn’t change the fact that if you want to see a movie that reminds you again of how important it is to take a stand and do something about it rather than be ignorant, then THE GREAT DEBATERS would definitely be that movie!

* Place the cursor on the picture below to check my grade for this film