3/4  Glory Road Quick Review
Formula sports drama, besed on a true story of course, that manages to raise some excitement, uplift the spirit and teach a lesson. Final Grade: B

4/5 Glory Road: A Road Worth Driving For
  by Scott Rau
Disney's newest addition to the `low-life, controversial team who pulls together with the help of a coach' movie is "Glory Road". Directed by James Gartner, this movie is based on the events which lead up to the first all black basketball team to not only play in a NCAA final but to win it as well. This emotional drama, with its classical ups and downs, follows all the same racial twists that we have come to expect from this genre. The only problem is that Gartner placed more emphasis on the drama aspect rather than the cold, hard hitting facts. This lead to the twisting of information to an extent which left certain circumstances left out or wrongly emphasized.
Josh Lucas stars as Don Haskins, the famous Texas-Western basketball coach who integrates black players onto his controversial team and creates what is said to be the biggest upset in college sports history by winning the 1966 NCAA basketball championship game. All this takes place while the team is riddled with racism due to inclusion of black players.
In the movie, it shows Haskins stepping directly from high school girls coach to division 1 college basketball and in his first season he not only managed to integrate 5 black players onto his team, but had them win the title too. Unfortunately, as facts often are, this was a slight euphemism at the very least. Don Haskins did coach high school girl's basketball and he was signed to Texas-Western, but in 1961 rather than 1966 as the movie declares. The movie also says that he scouted five black players and it was because of him that Texas-Western integrated their team, but the team actually already had three black players before he arrived. Yet another liberty taken was the fact that Haskins actually took five years to turn the team around rather than the one year as the movie describes.
The acting was decent, I say only decent because in terms of getting the audience to share the emotions of the situation at hand- a better and more convincing job could have been done. While this movie isn't loaded with Oscar winners, it still manages to portray the meaning behind the movie, some might argue even better. This is possible through the use of less known actors and so not allowing familiarity with the type personality certain actors bring with them. The cinematography as a whole was also only decent as the lighting at times was a little weak and while the music is proving to be popular, the dialogue is sometimes hard to comprehend. For example, there are a few scenes in the gymnasium where audio and lighting should be top of their priorities due to the uneven light streaming in through the windows and echo caused, yet the recognition and comprehension of certain players is harder due to this over-looked aspect.
Although the docudrama took liberties by changing a few facts, the general message still gets across which is, quite frankly, the point of seeing such a movie. This movie is targeted towards the younger generation; they would be bored out of their minds if they had to sit through five season's worth of games and off court situations before the good stuff came rather than the single season as the directors changed it to. The message that the children will receive from watching this movie is that no matter what, never give up. It will show them determination and success is achieved through the effort and resilience in ones heart. That through the hardships comes a time of wisdom and happiness.
This movie is rated PG and runs for 1hr 58 minutes.


4/5 Remember the Titans but in College Basketball
  by J.L.A. (California)
This is a definite feel-good movie. Although, I still find it incredibly hard to believe that our country was once so BARBARIC as to not allow people of color the opportunity to play sports with other students (white), the movie does a great job of showing how a team can unite and overcome the bigotry that surrounds them. I enjoyed how the white students on the basketball team eventually overcame their biases and how the black players also learned to like their white teammates. For a sports movie, the scenes are exciting and the acting is not bad considering most actors in the movie are not well-known.

4/5 Educational, even if inaccurate
  by Steven P. Gordon (Pensacola, FL USA)
I must admit that I don't know much about the actual Texas Western team this movie portrays. I understand that the story has compressed some facts in the name of dramatic license. Frankly, I am OK with that. If they had depicted the story along the real timelines, etc. the criticism would have been that the plot moved too slowly. I think the essence of the story is true if not all of the facts.
And it is true that the story line follows the typical Disney formula. I'm OK with that as well. I watch movies for escapism and entertainment. When I want the raw truth, I'll watch TLC, Discovery Channel, or History Channel. But I watch Disney movies because I want to feel good at the end. And that is not always a bad thing.
One thing this movie did do is start a discussion on race with my kids. You see, they have grown up in the South, going to church and school with black kids. We have had sleep-overs with their friends, both white and black. My kids have a hard time imagining that someone would be treated differently just because of the color of their skin. I have told them of the Jim Crow laws, pointed out historical pictures of "Whites only" signs, etc. But this movie helped them to understand the deep hatred some had back then and the struggle blacks faced. It portrayed racism graphically without going over the top. My kids were shocked at the beating the one player took, the vandalized hotel rooms, and that even the coach would receive threats. Our discussion also included why blacks consider some slurs to be so offensive. It was a learning experience for all of us.
Some of the other posts have pointed out that other blacks played then as well. True. And if you watch the movie, you will note that Texas Western is nearly beaten by Kansas and their point guard JoJo White, who is black. Another line is that the "unwritten rules are: you play one (black player) at home, two on the road and three if you are behind." No one was shocked that Coach Haskins recruited black players, only that he recruited....so many. So the movie allows that blacks were playing basketball in college. The racist idea that was challenged was that blacks could not "think" for themselves, that they needed white players on the court to direct them. So the idea of five black players on the court at once was unusual. Coach Haskins states in the credits that he wasn't trying to make a statement. He was just trying to win the game. This of course goes against the pre-game speech he gives in the movie. Inaccurate, but corrected in the credits just minutes later.
Note also the subtil racism by the Texas Western booster. He is so very concerned...until they are winning. Then he asks the coach to "just forget all that stuff I said before. I have sold more dinettes than ever." One of my black friends told me once that she is not scared of the racist in the white sheet. She can see him coming. She is scared of the racist in the business suit because you can't always see him. At the time, I didn't understand what she meant. Now I do.
Two parts of the movie stand out to me. The first is the locker room scene after their loss to Seattle. Listen closely to the lines and see if they don't sound like what is being said in any heated conversation on race. The second is the last scene and credits. As the players get off the plane, you get to see what they did with their lives after college. It is inspiring to read. Also, Be sure to watch all the credits as the actual players and Coach Haskins are interviewed regarding that season. Coach Pat Riley (who played for Kentucky) also has comments and a few scenes from the actual game are shown.
So, if you want to see a documentary on race or basketball, ths movie isn't it. But if you want to watch an entertaining Disney-type movie that will make you feel good and uncomfortable at the same time, this might be the one. Better yet, watch with someone from another generation (older or younger) and see how their ideas of race relations are so different from yours. Maybe not wrong, just different.

5/5 Great Movie
  by Tallie P. Rushing (Naples, Florida)
I'm so happy that most of America now treats all Americans equal most of time. The 60's were a sad, scary time. The movie was superb!

3/5 Unfair to whites...
  by Sonia Nat (Portland, Oregon, USA)
I think most reasonable Americans will say that they are not racist and deplore it. This is different then saying you agree with cultural values that certain races have proposed to adopt for themselves. Glory Road is a fine story, no disagreement, but like all racial movies, it lacks honesty, and fair dealing. Truth be told, racism is not an issue today for blacks, period. It was then. This story does a fine job of telling it, and making it halfway interesting. But, there is always more to a story than the pro-liberal anti-racist message. It is truly unfortunate, that we can never address the issues of race honestly. How about a movie about Tookie Williams, the evil black man who killed 4 people in cold blood b/c he was a "street survivor". Or we need a movie about how oppressed Whitney Houston is during her last 20 years as a coked up millionaire who is constantly getting arrested. Or maybe a movie about 50 cent, a true story about how he murdered people and sold crack to people while ruining their lives. Or how about a movie that questions black culture, instead of a movie that constantly demonizes white culture as racist, from a time most Americans don't remember. I am unclear as to how these reverse racist movies are always getting made. The VAST majority of white people today bend over backwards and sideways to accommodate black people to insure their every unnecessary demand is met, and that every possible advantage is given them at every challenge. Every college provides unheard of scholarships for black kids based on their color, whilst charging white students exuberant amounts. These are stories that need to be made into movies. But that will not happen. We live in a strange era, where honest talk and forthright communication that asks real questions is severely oppressed by the Government and law. The new McCartyism is, without any shadow of doubt, Racism. This movie promotes the big lie, that whites are racist. People actually still believe this when every shred of evidence points to the contrary. Special privileges are conferred upon blacks at every corner, every excuse given for their behavior, while no accountability is administered. Unfortuanate. And movies like this continue to feed that big race lie. Many people after reading this will be angry. My answer is why? I am not racist. I do not hate the black skin color. No, I think very critically about movies and the issues they pose. I have a Dr. who is black, a female law professor who is black (and very, very intelligent)and several black friends, (unfortuantely too, in this day and age you must always qualify yourself, when thinking critically, as a "non-racist") I engage in real conversation w/ blacks quite a bit about the problems I see with their assertions. I can tell you, most at first get mad at me, then listen intently, they realize I do not hate. People who call people racist cop out, and are more full of hate and spite then those they chide. No, people respect me b/c I respect them, but I do not sign off on socially acceptable messages, when under the surface they are very hurtful. As is the case w/ Glory Road, a seemingly truthful movie that shows how blacks are human and special. Thats fine, but it falls on its face in sincerity, and the movie itself charges racism a/g whites. Please, if you see this, remember that it is a clear message that should be taken with a grain of salt.