Sunday Afternoon Movie: Remember The Titans (2000)

After last week’s action packed Sunday Afternoon Movie, I wanted to slow things down a little this week. Gathering dust on my shelf (but not in my unwatched pile of shame) was a copy of Remember The Titans. The Disney sports drama was a sleeper hit back in 2000 and a lazy Sunday afternoon seemed the perfect time to revisit it.

Based on true events and set in 1971, Denzel Washington stars as American Football Coach Herman Boone who takes the place of existing Coach Bill Yoast (Will Patton). The team (The Titans) reacts badly to the change and as a result  Herman offers Yoast a assistant coaching position, which he accepts only to keep the peace with the unhappy students.

As if the racial prejudice Boone and other African American players are met with wasn’t enough, the school board tell Boone that even if one game is lost he will be fired.

Everybody loves an underdog story, we all want to cheer on a group of outcasts and misfits to see them rise above the impossible. Disney can do this in their sleep, but Remember the Titans is an inspirational story with great performances from the young cast as well as Washington and Patton.

Few actors can give a powerful and inspiring speech like Washington, as a matter of fact I simply can’t think of a movie (even if its been awful) that he’s been in where he hasn’t given a great performance.

The supporting cast is lead by Donald Faison (Scrubs), Kate Bosworth (Superman Returns), Hayden Panettiere (Heroes), Ethan Suplee (My Name is Earl) and a very young Ryan Gosling.

Given the fact it’s a Disney movie, the racial issues are only touched upon and naturally everything ends in typical fashion. Or does it? A tragic accident towards the end of the film has devastating results for one of the team, the brief scene set 10 years on at a funeral rings home just how important the lessons the Titan learned were to their lives.

American Football movies don’t often translate to the international box office, this was no exception but was a monster hit in the States 12 years ago. Remember the Titans remains a well made and very enjoyable movie, which was shockingly produced by action overlord Jerry Bruckheimer.

Happy Sunday viewing.