Coach Carter (2005)

65% of critics liked it
(144 reviews)
85% of users liked it
(384,723 ratings)

The true-life story of a coach who tries to teach his players that there's more to life than basketball is brought to the screen in this sports drama. Ken Carter (Samuel L. Jackson) was once a star player on the Richmond High School basketball team in Richmond, CA, and years later, after… More The true-life story of a coach who tries to teach his players that there's more to life than basketball is brought to the screen in this sports drama. Ken Carter (Samuel L. Jackson) was once a star player on the Richmond High School basketball team in Richmond, CA, and years later, after establishing himself in publishing and marketing, he returns to the school and to the team as the new basketball coach. Carter quickly sees that his work is cut out for him -- the team is having an awful season, and their fights off the court are more decisive than their play on the court. While Carter wants to make the Richmond cagers into a winning team, he also wants a lot more -- to teach the boys to respect themselves and one another, and that they must excel in the classroom as well as in the gymnasium. Under Carter's guidance, the team turns their losing season around, with the state title a genuine possibility. However, when Carter learns that a number of his players have let their grade point averages slip below 2.3, as mandated in a contract he entered into with the students, he decides to lock the team out of the gym and send them into study hall until their marks improve. Carter's plan quickly becomes a subject of controversy among parents and team boosters, and their objections are soon picked up by the local news media, many of whom are not sympathetic to Carter's belief that his players must have goals beyond college ball or the NBA. Coach Carter also features Rob Brown and Rick Gonzalez as members of the team, and R&B diva Ashanti in her film debut as the girlfriend of one of Carter's players. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 2 hr. 16 min.
Directed By: Thomas Carter (II)
Written By: Mark Schwahn, John Gatins
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: Jan 14, 2005 Wide
On DVD: Jun 21, 2005
Studio: Paramount Pictures

Critic Reviews

J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader
This is supposed to be about setting high standards, yet it's full of fudged ultimatums; in the end I couldn't be sure whether its morality was complex or just confused.
Ken Tucker, New York Magazine
Saved by bursts of energy and inventiveness.
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
Carter gives every sports-drama cliche a chance to play. No bad idea is benched.
David Blaylock, Village Voice
Too vicious to speak to bleeding-heart liberals, too pro-academia to speak to No Child Left Behind advocates, and too preachy to speak to youths.
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com
One of those highly effective conventional pictures that remind us that conventionality isn't always a bad thing.
Rick Groen, Globe and Mail
The appeal lies in the genre's mixed marriage of liberal sensibilities to conservative values, a happy American union that simultaneously acknowledges the fact of social injustice while insisting on the need for individual responsibility.
Joshua Starnes, ComingSoon.net
With another in a long line of strong performances by Jackson, and some excellent basketball choreography, Coach Carter is fun, hopeful, occasionally silly and, what can I say, inspiring.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Engaging film with a terrific message.
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
Samuel Jackson returns to form behind a long string of disappointing performances as an ethically minded basketball coach at a tough inner city high school in Richmond, California.
Ryan Cracknell, Movie Views
While the film is over the top at times, Coach Carter has a big heart that doesn't shy away from challenging the American education system.
Felix Gonzalez Jr., DVD Review
If you like your inspirational stories formulaic and predictable, Coach Carter is the ticket.
Felix Gonzalez Jr., DVD Review
How terribly ironic that the story of an educator who dared to challenge the mental capacity of his students can produce a film that so shamelessly spoon-feeds its audience.
Brian Webster, Apollo Guide
Extras on the disc include a documentary on the real Ken Carter, a 'making of' featurette, plus six deleted scenes.
Brian Webster, Apollo Guide
By making the choices the filmmakers did here, we get a movie that may not be profound, but it's both highly entertaining for its sports and fascinating for its social issues.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
It's Jackson's dominating yet enlightened performance that infuses the film with much of its vigor. (Blu-ray Edition)
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...the movie is more concerned with the characters than with the sport. So it's a movie for anyone to enjoy.
Leigh Singer, Film4
A worthy addition to familiar triumph-of-the-underdog stories.
Prairie Miller, Long Island Press
There's a kick butt performance from Samuel Jackson, the master of the take-no-prisoners motormouth school of acting, even if it is only a high school gym.
Prairie Miller, Long Island Press
There's a kick butt performance from Samuel Jackson, the master of the take-no-prisoners motormouth school of acting, even if it is only a high school gym.
Ethan Alter, Film Journal International
Far from groundbreaking--in fact, it doesn't have an original bone in its body--but as inspirational sports movies go, it's not half-bad.

Read all 20 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Jeff "

Average sports drama that is predictable, Coach Carter doesn't do anything new or original. I felt that Coach Carter though good, was nothing great, and it was nothing new to the sports genre. The film is the same old, predictable formula. Everything you'd expect happens,… More
Average sports drama that is predictable, Coach Carter doesn't do anything new or original. I felt that Coach Carter though good, was nothing great, and it was nothing new to the sports genre. The film is the same old, predictable formula. Everything you'd expect happens, despite this; the film manages to be good entertainment. However, the fact that the sports drama genre seems to be comprised of the same old ideas, is a tad annoying. There are good performances here, nothing ever great, but for what it is, it's pretty entertaining. Coach Carter is no different than every other sports drama, and relies on the usual plot elements that you'd expect. The film is average, and if you've seen plenty of sports dramas, its pretty predictable. Nonetheless I liked the film The cast did a good job here, and it had a good plot despite the fact that it's nothing really new. This film will appeal to sports film fans. Coach Carter is entertaining, but like I said, it's the same old tired formula, luckily the cast keeps this film entertaining and watchable. The film relies on cliches but overall it remains constantly dramatic and entertaining like every other sports drama. A good cast, and good plot keeps this film rolling and fun.
Eric A

A very engaging film, this is Samuel L. Jackson at his finest.
Bethany M

Amazing film. One of my all time favourites. All of the cast were exceptional and this true story is full of positivity and leaves you smiling uncontrolably. A must see!
Brad W

Another great basketball movie. Samuel L. Jackson and the teenagers are great, really believable. The plot was okay, predictable and cliche at times, but it had very good moments. In the end, Coach Carter is a great movie, but a lot of cliche moments and the Hoosiers feel keep it… More
Another great basketball movie. Samuel L. Jackson and the teenagers are great, really believable. The plot was okay, predictable and cliche at times, but it had very good moments. In the end, Coach Carter is a great movie, but a lot of cliche moments and the Hoosiers feel keep it from being perfect.
Thomas B

Some fine set-pieces and an adequate storyline, the only reason this film holds up is Samuel L. Jackson refusing to phone it in. Full review later.
E.J. B

Coach Carter packs the usual cliches of the sports film into its 136 minute run time. That means that we will get lots of locker room speeches, renegade kids who will mature into proper, intelligent young adults within a few weeks, and a community who opposes all the radical notions… More
Coach Carter packs the usual cliches of the sports film into its 136 minute run time. That means that we will get lots of locker room speeches, renegade kids who will mature into proper, intelligent young adults within a few weeks, and a community who opposes all the radical notions the protagonist instigates in his teaching methods. Where the film shines is in the presence of Samuel L. Jackson as that protagonist. Jackson commands the screen. He yells a lot, which is customary for him to do, but he creates a believability in his character that doesn't happen often in films of this ilk. His character is a role model that I actually felt could connect with the youths on the basketball team, and his methods of tough love were strong enough coming from him to make the kids want to change their lives. Consistently engaging.
Cynthia S

These movies will always get me. Coach Carter is yet another true inspiring story where one person changes many lives. Very moving, and powerful, and has a strong message about public education in urban areas, Well done. As usual, Samuel L. Jackson is at his finest.
Richard C

B
KJ P

Inspiring! Samuel L. Jackson, who is in every single movie, put's on a very good performance!
Lady D

Coach Carter certainly has it's corny moments despite being based on a true story. The relationship between coach and team is a great evolving tale of mutual respect and has a similar feel to it as Freedom Writers. A very enjoyable role for SLJ and a great character to play.… More
Coach Carter certainly has it's corny moments despite being based on a true story. The relationship between coach and team is a great evolving tale of mutual respect and has a similar feel to it as Freedom Writers. A very enjoyable role for SLJ and a great character to play. Special Features are worth a watch to meet the real life characters of the story.
Coxxie M

i hope i havent seen this
Tim S

Note: See my review for "Remember The Titans" for same review.
Lorenzo v

For its genre - the high school uplifting turnaround - this is a good example. Samuel L. Jackson delivers a solid and believable performance. The members of the team are also believable, and the story is definitely uplifting. There are no major surprises. One of the things I look for… More
For its genre - the high school uplifting turnaround - this is a good example. Samuel L. Jackson delivers a solid and believable performance. The members of the team are also believable, and the story is definitely uplifting. There are no major surprises. One of the things I look for most, especially with big name actors like Jackson, is whether I believe that they are the character while I'm watching the movie, or whether I'm seeing the actor portraying the character. Jackson is totally believable as Coach Carter. This movie includes enough drama, including vignettes focusing on the lives of some of the players, to keep it interesting throughout.
Luke B

File under "inspirational" and also probably "rehash". Yes there are hundreds (at least a lot) of films about teachers inspiring the poorest of the students to get out there and do something. There are also a lot of films about unorthodox sports coaches. I wonder… More
File under "inspirational" and also probably "rehash". Yes there are hundreds (at least a lot) of films about teachers inspiring the poorest of the students to get out there and do something. There are also a lot of films about unorthodox sports coaches. I wonder if the real Coach Carter took this on board before he embarked on his career as a teacher, hoping one day to have a film about himself on the big screen, because combining the two really is a superb idea. Uplifting, funny, has all those will they wont they moments. Great messages if handled a little to obviously. Still everybody knows the awesome power of a slow motion basketball match. It had me biting off my nails since Teen Wolf.
Tim S

I'll watch ANY basketball movie...but this one was TOUGH to get through.
Dean !

Based on a true story. This is a mix of Dangerous minds and Boyz N the hood with a basketball theme.
Bobby H

Good movie. Worth watching. I think the reason I didnt like it as much, was because the hype for it, was way more then it actually turned out too be. But, it was good.
Jennifer X

very cliche and copied, but was worse than remember the titans.
Bannan i

Amazing retelling of a story. Jackson is great in here. Lovely story, although kind of Remember the Titans-ish...gives these kids some hope for doing something good with their lives. Uplifting.
Jon L

It was a typical sports drama without your typical sports ending. I recommend a watch.