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In 1935, racism and segregation permeated the South. Yet, at Wiley College, a small African American school in Texas, one determined professor inspired his students to get beyond the color of their skin and do something great.
Based on a true story, The Great Debaters follows the 1935-36 Wiley College debate team, led by Mel Tolson (Denzel Washington), a teacher whose unconventional beliefs shook up more than just the debate team. Tolson and his four talented debaters took on some of the best debate teams in the country—from both black and, eventually, white schools—with the ultimate goal of competing against the national champions from Harvard.
Along the way, the young debaters see the reality of the world around them. And as they try to understand the racism and the dangers they face, they also learn to stand up for themselves and their beliefs.
Directed by Washington and produced with the help of Oprah Winfrey, The Great Debaters is precisely the inspirational and uplifting film that you might expect. But it’s more than just another sappy drama, thanks to a spectacular cast. From Oscar winners Washington and Forest Whitaker to the young and extremely talented Jurnee Smollett, the film is filled with moving performances. Smollett, especially, is captivating as Samantha Booke, one of the debate team members—and she steals the show whenever she’s on-screen.
While The Great Debaters tells an interesting and inspiring story, though, it’s often weighed down by side stuff that isn’t all that interesting—like the relationship between debaters Samantha and Henry Lowe (Nate Parker) and the jealousy of their young teammate, James Farmer, Jr. (Denzel Whitaker). Though it adds to the film’s character development and creates tension between the teammates, the whole love triangle story often feels like an unnecessary distraction from the main plot.
Though the film does present some thought-provoking points—as well as some eye-opening scenarios—while telling its inspirational story, it often resorts to over-dramatizing and tear-jerking to grab its audience. At one point, for instance, the debate team members share a teary-eyed moment as they prepare for a debate—and just as I started to get caught up in the emotional moment, I stopped and thought, Hold on…what’s everybody crying about, anyway? The scene didn’t feel like sincere drama as much as it felt like a carefully planned ploy to jerk some tears. Granted, it worked—and it brought the audience to both sniffles and cheers—but more cynical moviegoers (like me) might feel the slightest bit swindled.
Still, despite my cynicism, I found myself taken in by the story of these determined kids and their inspiring teacher. While it’s not without its flaws or its over-dramatizing, The Great Debaters is a touching and uplifting film that will make you want to go out and change the world as soon as the credits start to roll.
