Generic Role Prepped for Forrest Whitaker
These films don't really need to be made, not anymore
I skipped The Great Debaters, primarily because it looked to be just another fluff film like the earlier release Pride, and from what I understand it wasn't much different. Now, the same guy that wrote Debaters has apparently penned himself a Coach Carter style story called Patriots with Tim Story set to direct and Forrest Whitaker to star. Whoopee, isn't it about enough with these "inspirational", by-the-book films? On top of being predicatble, Debaters is being innacurate.
So, what's Patriots all about? Well, Whitaker will play Al Collins, basketball coach for John Ehret High in Marrero, La., who led his Patriots to the state championship a year after Katrina ravaged the school and displaced many of its students. Collins' team consisted of 10 players who attended five different schools before the disaster.
For anyone that already knows this story, it is actually quite impressive. However, I have no idea what the quality of talent they were facing was, but the road in front of them wasn't exactly promising considering the situation.
This deal is the first one to be made since The Weinstein Co. brokered a deal with the WGA and apparently things are going to move quickly enough that the film will complete shooting before the expiration of the SAG contract in June and is expected to be ready for the big screen by Thanksgiving. Then again, everything the Weinstein's make ends up getting released one to two years late.
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I disagree; I believe that films like these are positive for the Black youth. They may be predictable and clichéd, but films like these are good for the kids in my community. Especially The Great Debaters, which is not focused on Sports, but public speaking. There are not many movies with all Black casts that are geared towards younger audiences and I think that these are fine for them. I would rather have them watch a clichéd inspirational movie instead of a film like Norbit or some over the top Tyler Perry movie
I completely understand where you are coming from BeautifulM, I just wish they would add a little more depth to their films. I enjoyed Pride and I enjoyed Coach Carter, but I skipped The Great Debaters the same way I skipped Invincible. They make these films and then remove all the drama by making them entirely sappy and predictable.
I am just waiting for the day when they make more than just an "inspirational" film and make a film that is both inspirational and a bit deeper in terms of the script and story arc. It always ends up their's a troubled team and then one good-for-nothing kid that ultimately learns his lesson, comes around and all is happy. It just gets tiring, at least to me.
I understand and to tell you the truth I will probably skip this one, unless it is something different. I really like this site and I usually agree with your opinions. Specifically about Stardust, BladeRunner and 2D animation.lol
Whether you agree or disagree it is good to have another opinion in the mix. :) Thanks for visiting and hope you stick around. Long live 2-D animation!
They made that movie. It was called Akeela and the Bee and it was, in a word, wonderful.
Otherwise, I agree with you completely.
Ha, and to think I skipped it for the same reasons as the others. :)