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Alexandria, Virginia. 1971. The T.C. Williams Titans high school football team is being forcibly integrated. To appease the African-American community, Herman Boone has been called in as the first black coach in the school's history. Needless to say, the white players and their parents aren't happy about it. How will the team respond? Will they be able to put aside their significant differences and work together, or will the racial dynamics tear everything apart? At the center is the strong black man, Coach Boone.

Calling Coach Boone (Denzel Washington, The Hurricane) the hero of our story isn't exactly right. While he's certainly the focal character and a man of deep integrity, he's not without his flaws. He's set in his ways and, in particular, treats all of his players the same even though they respond in dramatically different fashion to his harsh demeanor. Bertier (Ryan Hurst), the white captain, is spurred on by the taunt "Is this your team or your daddy's team?" while Petey (Donald Faison, TV's Clueless), the star running back, folds after the slightest criticism.

Bill Yoast (Will Patton, Gone in 60 Seconds), who was the original coach until being replaced by Boone, decides to stay on as an assistant so he can protect the interests of the remaining white players. His style is considerably more laid-back, which allows him to nurture the more sensitive athletes. He's also a perfect foil for Boone in how he comes to accept the new racial dynamics. Realizing that times are changing, he stands up for the black coach when most whites in the community are trying to run him out of town.

As the old saying goes, though, coaches don't win ballgames, players do. And so it is with Remember the Titans. Besides Bertier, who unites the racially-divided team, there's Julius (Wood Harris, Above the Rim), a strong young man who's initially deeply skeptical but comes to love his white teammates as much as his black ones; Lastik (Ethan Suplee, American History X), a large lineman who's the first guy to cross the dining room color line; "the Rev" (Craig Kirkwood), the starting quarterback; Darryl (Earl Poitier), the comic of the team; "Sunshine" (Kip Pardue, But I'm a Cheerleader), the flashy QB backup from California; and Ray (Burgess Jenkins), a white player who can't accept playing with people of different races.

Though many of these actors are making their film debuts, you wouldn't know it from the way they handle themselves. From the demanding practice field scenes to the tense (and often funny) locker-room moments, they carry the film, making the audience believe their characters are truly overcoming deep-seated prejudices.

Their off-field compatriots aren't as forgiving, though. Bertier's girlfriend (played by Kate Bosworth, The Horse Whisperer) refuses to shake hands with his black teammates, Yoast's daughter (played by the incomparably cute Hayden Panettiere) is angry about how her daddy has been pushed aside, Boone's wife (Nicole Ari Parker, Blue Streak) is nervous about the community, and Coach Tyrell (Brett Rice, The Waterboy) can't accept working under a black man.

If this sounds like a lot of different plot threads, you're right. Not only do we have the different friendships/conflicts on the team, we also have a player struggling to get into college, a growing friendship between two little girls, the racial divide of the town (typified by the classic "brick through the black family's window), a star player who gets into a car accident, and the team's run for the state championship.

It's a testimony to Gregory Allen Howard's script and Boaz Yakin's direction that the movie doesn't fall apart under its own weight. The pacing is excellent, and their ability to move from tense moment to catharsis is impressive. Helping immeasurably are Washington and Patton, two field generals who, if anything, underplay their parts. Though the film sometimes can't escape the "TV Movie of the Week" uplift, the coaches' stoic outlook and refusal to strive for cheap sentimentality will be appreciated by anyone who hates to be manipulated.

Not that this is a perfect film. While Yakin (A Price Above Rubies) knows how to move from scene to scene, he has little flair for composition. He's too fond of the Hollywood close-up ("look deep into my eyes and see how profound I am") and doesn't take advantage of the possibilities group shots afford. Watching brilliant films like Beau Travail (which coincidentally is playing this weekend at the Music Box) is a stark reminder of how unimaginative most directors are.

Furthermore, the movie has too many interesting characters. I know it's unseemly to blame a movie for having so many rich relationships, but it's frustrating when we only skim the surface of each. I wanted to know how Bertier and Julius built their friendship. I wanted to see how Lastik improved his grades. I wanted to find out how the tomboyish Sheryl and the prissy Nicky found common ground. And I wanted to discover how two communities started to overcome their differences. Two hours just isn't enough time to work all that out. It's only a small benefit that the end credits reveal what happened after that tumultuous season.

Nonetheless, Remember the Titans is gripping entertainment. It reminded me a lot of Erin Brockovich: a compelling story that happens to be true, appealing characters backed up by superior acting, and a feel-good ending that'll send you out with a smile. 

J. Robert Parks 9/28/2000