This is my favorite sports movie. Based on true events dating back to 1971 in Alexandria, Virginia, T.C. Williams High school is one of the first in it's district to integrate their students.
The hatred and tension is all around and intensifying as the football team sets an example for the rest of the school and the city as well.
It's rough at first, but Coach finds a way to open their minds and their hearts to one another. Uniting the team to become the greatest & best in their division.
It's an amazing & captivating film of acceptance, tolerance, respect, teamwork, brotherhood, and love.
Don Cheadle and Adam Sandler are two names that ordinarily wouldn't mix but you will be surprised at how well they do in this film.
A. Sandler takes on a whole new role. If you're looking for anything remotely funny, look someplace else because it's not here. I am absolutely blown away by Sandler's performance in this film. We see a whole new side of him and his capabilities. He really stepped it up a notch and ... well... he just fit into the role perfectly. Don Cheadle is great, as always. I've never been disappointed with any of his roles. The two together is sheer perfection, imo.
Charlie Fineman (Sandler) is a man who lost his wife and his 3 daughters in the 9/11 attack on NYC. But losing his family wasn't the only thing he lost; he lost himself too. Heartbroken and alone, he withdraws himself from his family and friends; isolating himself in his own little world. Alan Johnson (Cheadle) is a long lost college roomate and tries to re-spark the friedship they once had and desperately attempts to help him through the grieving process....as hard and as painful as it is...
This film touches on the fact that everyone grieves differently, and we all travel that road at our own pace. And just because someone is taking forever to get over a loss, it doesn't necessarily make them insane. And Sometimes good intentions end up being harmful in the long run.
First and foremost, if you haven't noticed already, it's a Foreign Film! You'll either be reading subtitles throughout or you'll be lucky enough to get your hand on a dubbed version. I, personally, didn't like the dubbed version because I think they did a horrible job at trying to match up the words with the lip movements. But that's just my opinion. Friends of mine didn't seem to notice.
That said, this film revolves around the age old battle between Good & Evil or in this case, Light v.s. Dark. These "Others" spend their time watching each other to make sure the Truce that was made hundreds of years ago (after a medieval type battle) goes unbroken. As the story goes on, things happen and more information is revealed but ultimately these "Others" are waiting for a "Chosen One" who will choose his/her own path (either Light or Dark) and you can imagine what that would mean...
Great acting, awesome visual effects and stunning fight scenes. It was seriously one hell of a movie!!