THE GREAT DEBATERS

ONE CRITIC WROTE --THE MYSTERY OF THE FINAL COMPETITION IS PRETTY MUCH A FOREGONE CONCLUSION WHEN YOU SEE THAT THE TITLE IS NOT -- THE OKAY DEBATERS OR THE PRETTY GOOD DEBATERS.
********************************
I AM NORMALLY INSULTED BY "FEEL GOOD" MOVIES, BUT DIRECTOR DENZEL WASHINGTON, HAS AVOIDED MANY OF THE CLICHÉS THAT MAKE AN INSPIRATIONAL FILM APPEAR CHILDISH AND SIMPLISTIC. THE CHARACTERS HERE ARE REAL PEOPLE, THEY ARE FLAWED AND FEARFUL. THEY DON'T MAKE GREAT AND ILLOGICAL LEAPS - THEY WORK HARD AND THEIR GROWTH IS NOT MIRACULOUS, IT IS BUILT ON A SOLID INTELLECTUAL AND EMOTIONAL FOUNDATION.
THE PERFORMANCE OF FOREST WHITAKER IS JUST TREMENDOUS.
THERE IS A POWERFUL SCENE WHERE FOREST IS PLACED IN ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME POSITION AS TERRENCE HOWARD WAS IN CRASH.
HOWARD WAS FORCED TO WATCH HIS WIFE BEING ABUSED BY A RACIST POLICEMAN. THERE WAS NO ACTION HE COULD TAKE THAT WOULD HAVE A POSITIVE OUTCOME -- EVERYTHING WAS AGAINST HIM AND HE WOULD HAVE PLAYED INTO THE RACIST OFFICER'S HANDS, IF HE HAD TRIED TO DEFEND HIS WIFE.
IT WAS AN EMOTIONALLY BRUTAL SCENE FOR THE AUDIENCE TO WATCH.
FOREST IS IN A SITUATION, WHERE ALL THE CARDS ARE STACKED AGAINST HIM AND ANY FORCEFUL ACTION AGAINST TWO IGNORANT RACIST GOONS WOULD ONLY HAVE A NEGATIVE OUTCOME.
THIS SCENE WAS ALSO VERY DIFFICULT TO WATCH AND LIKE HOWARD, WHITAKER MAKES IT TOTALLY REAL IN VERY SUBTLE WAYS - BOTH MEN STEERED CLEAR OF THE MELODRAMATIC OPPORTUNITY OF THE SITUATION AND HANDLED IT THE WAY AN INTELLIGENT MAN WOULD, WITH DIGNITY AND FRUSTRATION MIXED IN BITTER EMOTIONAL CONFLICT WITHIN THEIR CHARACTER'S PSYCHE.
THIS IS NOT A QUALITY BLACK FILM, THIS IS A QUALITY FILM.
IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE NOT TO SEE IT.