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Movies / On DVD / The Great Debaters
The Great Debaters

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The Great Debaters (2007)

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Reviews Counted:126

Fresh:99

Rotten:27

Average Rating:7/10

Consensus: A wonderful cast and top-notch script elevate The Great Debaters beyond a familiar formula for a touching, uplifting drama.

Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for depiction of strong thematic material including violence and disturbing images, and for language and brief sexuality.

Runtime: 2 hrs 3 mins

Genre: Dramas

Theatrical Release:Dec 25, 2007 Wide

Box Office: $29,961,818

Synopsis: Denzel Washington directs and stars in this uplifting drama based on a true story about a small East Texas all-black college in 1935 that rises to the top of the nation's debate teams in a duel... Denzel Washington directs and stars in this uplifting drama based on a true story about a small East Texas all-black college in 1935 that rises to the top of the nation's debate teams in a duel against Harvard. A poet and debating coach at Wiley College, Professor Melvin Tolson (Washington) sees debating as "a blood sport" and recruits the meanest and brightest, including troubled Henry (Nate Parker), driven Samantha (Jurnee Smollet), and the 14-year-old prodigy James Farmer, Jr. (Denzel Whitaker). Oscar winner Forest Whitaker (no relation) plays Farmer's father, the initially unsupportive president of the school. There's tough training, romantic heat over the attentions of fiery Samantha (the first girl on the team), and some no holds-barred racism (including a witnessed lynching) before the big match-up against the Ivy League school, adding to the overall emotional force. Though feel-good historical competition movies like this have been done before, Washington serves up his effort as a lean, mean family dinner, with minimum fuss and maximum nutritional-educational value. Historical accuracy may be thrown to the wind more than once--Farmer is the only real student among the team, and the final debate was against USC, not Harvard--but the acting is uniformly superb. It's great to watch these kids slowly incorporate Tolson's incredible poise and intellectual rigor into their lives, and the message is as important as ever. Oprah Winfrey served as producer. [More]

Starring: Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, Nate Parker, Jurnee Smollett

Starring: Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, Nate Parker, Jurnee Smollett, Denzel Whitaker, Jermaine Williams, John Heard, Kimberly Elise, Gina Ravera

Director: Denzel Washington

Director: Denzel Washington
Screenwriter: Robert Eisele
Story: Robert Eisele, Jeffrey Porro
Producer: Todd Black, Kate Forte, Oprah Winfrey, Joe Roth
Composer: James Newton Howard, Peter Golub
Studio: MGM

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Release:

May 13, 2008

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Reviews for The Great Debaters

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1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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N/R

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Full Review Source: JoBlo's Movie Emporium | comment Comment
02/27/09
Chris Bumbray
Chris Bumbray
JoBlo's Movie Emporium
N/R

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Full Review Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution | comment Comment
10/18/08
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

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Full Review Source: Screen International | comment Comment
10/18/08
Screen International
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

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Full Review Source: NPR.org | comment Comment
10/18/08
Bob Mondello
Bob Mondello
NPR.org

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Full Review Source: Q Network Film Desk | comment Comment
10/18/08
James Kendrick
James Kendrick
Q Network Film Desk
N/R

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Full Review Source: San Diego Metropolitan | comment Comment
10/18/08
Jean Lowerison
Jean Lowerison
San Diego Metropolitan

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Full Review Source: Reel.com | comment Comment
10/18/08
Reel.com
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

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Full Review Source: Entertainment Insiders | comment Comment
10/18/08
Jonathan W. Hickman
Jonathan W. Hickman
Entertainment Insiders

Washington directed as well as starred, and it is clear he has no trouble wearing both hats at once

Full Review Source: ReelzChannel.com | comment Comment
09/08/08
Heather Huntington
Heather Huntington
ReelzChannel.com

This is a wonderfully acted and directed movie, that has something important to say

Full Review Source: Sin Magazine | comment Comment
08/22/08
Austin Kennedy
Austin Kennedy
Sin Magazine

I was having mediocre day and I walked out of the movie totally pumped up and ready for the rest of the day, even though it was 10pm at night.

Full Review Source: WJFK-FM (CBS Radio) | comment Comment
06/01/08
Kevin McCarthy
Kevin McCarthy
WJFK-FM (CBS Radio)

There's a real organic sense in the film of how young minds can be nurtured and energized way beyond sex, sports and slacker attitude, into caring and evolving kid works-in-progress. And how debating can be pretty cool too, who knew?

Full Review Source: NewsBlaze | comment Comment
05/02/08
Prairie Miller
Prairie Miller
NewsBlaze

The acting is great and care is taken to develop these characters into people we can root for.

Full Review Source: Laramie Movie Scope | comment Comment
04/10/08
Robert Roten
Robert Roten
Laramie Movie Scope

Enough fictional liberties were taken with The Great Debaters to make it fit neatly on the inspirational genre shelf, but it's grounded in enough reality to excuse Eisle's we-shall-overcome contrivances

Full Review Source: Las Vegas CityLife | comment Comment
03/17/08
Matt Kelemen
Matt Kelemen
Las Vegas CityLife

Showcasing the history is done with care and purpose, but I wanted more. I wanted more time between Washington and Forest Whitaker. I wanted more...

Full Review Source: The Scorecard Review | comment Comment
03/04/08
Jeff Bayer
Jeff Bayer
The Scorecard Review

Although we instinctively should be rooting for these characters, Eisele bends the rules of academic debate to make sure the outcome is never in doubt.

Full Review Source: Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL) | comment Comment
02/15/08
Jeffrey Westhoff
Jeffrey Westhoff
Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)

Nate Parker may end up the next Denzel Washington. He has the charm and emotional punch. Put him in more things.

Full Review Source: Seacoast Newspapers (NH/Maine) | comment Comment
02/12/08
Gina Carbone
Gina Carbone
Seacoast Newspapers (NH/Maine)

Sometimes a movie is so literate, so positive and reveals such an intriguing piece of history that it's like a two-hour classroom session.

Full Review Source: Quad City Times (Davenport, IA) | comment Comment
02/09/08
Linda Cook
Linda Cook
Quad City Times (Davenport, IA)

Denzel delivers both in front of and behind the camera with The Great Debaters.

Full Review Source: Washington Times | comment Comment
02/03/08
Christian Toto
Christian Toto
Washington Times

As is typical of such fare, the primary goals are commendable for their well-intentioned earnestness, but zero points for such gluttonous condescension.

Full Review Source: Projection Booth | comment 2 Comments
01/31/08
Rob Humanick
Rob Humanick
Projection Booth
 
 
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