Director
Boaz Yakin
Cast
Denzel Washington….Coach Herman Boone
Will Patton….Coach Bill Yoast
Wood Harris….Julius Campbell
Ryan Hurst….Gerry Bertier
Donald Faison….Petey Jones
Craig Kirkwood….Jerry ‘Rev’ Harris
Ethan Suplee….Louie Lastik
Kip Pardue….Ronnie ‘Sunshine’ Bass
Hayden Panettiere….Sheryl Yoast
Nicole Ari Parker….Carol Boone
Kate Bosworth….Emma Hoyt
Earl Poitier….Blue Stanton (as Earl C. Poitier)
Ryan Gosling….Alan Bosley
Burgess Jenkins….Ray Budds
Neal Ghant….Glascoe
The Movie
The dominating theme of this movie is overcoming racism and learning acceptance, which most people would not think by looking at the box. Most people probably think of Remember The Titans as another dumb football movie, but this film has a heart to it that can’t be denied.
In Alexandria, Virginia circa 1971, blacks and whites do not get along but soon have to learn how to due to school integration. Among the changes made at T.C. Williams High School is a change in the coaching staff for the football team, a near religion at the school. Coach Boone, who is black, replaces Coach Yoast. This causes uproar in the football ranks, as the white players threaten to transfer rather than play for Boone. Yoast calms the boys down and accepts an assistant coaching position with the team. From then on it is the two coaches overcoming their own biases to help the team accept each other and put it all on the field.
Several side plots come up in the movie, ranging from Yoast’s Hall of Fame acceptance to Boone unsteady job status and the effect of white members of the board on it.
Overall this movie scores big. The plot and full story are wrapped in a neat package and presented to the viewer to enjoy and marvel at. Every performance given is strong, from Denzel Washington all the way down to pre-Notebook Ryan Gosling. A great movie that shows that true strength and unity knows no color.
Score: 9/10
The Video
2.35:1 Widescreen, looks fantastic.
The Audio
5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound – Sounds like a movie.
The Extras
Deleted Scenes – 4 scenes cut from the film. Nothing special to note.
Remember The Titans: An Inspirational Journey Behind The Scenes – Hosted by Lynn Swann, this feature gives a good look at not only the people behind the movie, but the story that inspired it.
“Denzel Becomes Boone” – The inside story of how Denzel Washington met the real Herman Boone and was able to transform himself into Coach Boone.
“Beating The Odds” – A look at the pride the cast and crew had in making the movie, despite it being a small budget film and most of them working for very little. The thoughts of those involved in the film with regards to the civil rights movement and how the films displays their pride in the film.
Score: 8/10
