Watch The Great Debaters For Free

That was an excellent one.

Admirable film.

A Masterpiece!

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

My general rule is not to review films that already have at least 100 reviews here on IMDB. On rare occasions I make an exception.We've certainly all seen bad movies. And good movies. And even great movies. And once in a while a movie comes along that's truly inspirational. This movie is inspirational. And, with a few adjustments to history, it's true. It's the story of a debating team from a "Negro" college in Texas which goes on to national acclaim. The film was produced by Ophra Winfrey (among others), and directed by Denzel Washington. I give Denzel great credit for what he brought together here.Denzel Washington not only directed the film, but starred in it...sort of. I actually would call it more of an ensemble cast. But Washington is excellent here as the professor who leads the debating team. as Melvin B. Tolson, who became a noted poet and author (among other things). I've never been impressed with Forest Whitaker (who plays the father of James Farmer, Jr. here), but this time I thought his performance was quite good. Denzel Whitaker, a young actor and rapper plays a thoughtful role here as James Farmer, Jr., the man who later founded the Congress Of Racial Equality, and is one of the debaters here. I thought he did well here, but I'll need to see him in some other things before I can decide whether he is a steady actor (he is in "Black Panther", which happens to be in theaters as I write this). When I first saw Nate Parker starring in "Birth Of A Nation", I was not impressed. Here, as one of the debaters, I was impressed. Jurnee Smollett (brother of Jussie) plays the female debater here. I think it's a decent performance, but perhaps the accent was slathered on a bit heavy. I've seen her in other things (such as "Underground"), and she is quite a good actress.I won't relate the whole story here, but I will point out a couple of things. First, the segment where the debaters and their coach run into a lynching is quite jarring, but very well done. I don't why Denzel Washington, as director, changed the climactic debate from the University Of California to Harvard...the deviation from actual history made no sense to me. I do fault the film for not explaining how Denzel's character does show up at Harvard, when he was legally prevented from leaving Texas. It could have been explained in about 30 seconds.But that's nitpicking. This is a truly fine film.

The story is another of the factual based tale that receives little spotlight in the mainstream cinema. Overall it's based and also executed quite well. But the development leave me quite curious and wondering that it can be done far more better. It's because the screenplay looks as it puts too much weight to the side plot of the romance angle whereas it should be focusing more on the political and the racial issues side plots. That would make the movie more serious and thrilling, as it should be done for me. The acting overall is quite a good one. Denzel Washington did a pretty good job here, double timing as giving a good serious character acting and directing. Forest Whitaker nicely portrays the strict yet logical-thinking preacher. The team of Nate Parker, Denzel Whitaker and Jurnee Smollett Bell is having more than needed exposure on the relationship while their more significant performance on the debate is often replaced with montages.

This is formulaic feel good movie that has some good messages. But isn't all that intellectual. Don't get me wrong, it's still a good movie for adults. Kids on the other hand will most definitely get bored real fast with this one though. When it comes to the story, they added in some fiction but is ultimately predictable. Which is understandable since it's based on a True Story. Most movie goers will get how this movie will go from point A to point B to point C really quickly. Jurnee Smollett-Bell was just fantastic as Samantha Booke. There is few violent and little bit of sexual themes, but the violence isn't there for entertainment value or just for it to be there. It actually plays a part when it comes to the core of the story. So will you be emotionally charged after watching this movie? Maybe. Will you have new perspective and new mindset or have something really to ponder upon. Probably not.6.8/10

As a white man myself whenever I see movies involving racial hatred, none more so that movies depicting Nazi Germany during World War 2, and the antics of the Mississippi South in the 60's, all I want to do us puke ( be literally sick ).Because I cannot believe that white mindsets can "think" that just because someone has a different coloured skin, that those "coloured" people, are in fact inferior to white people.Anybody reading what im saying here, I ask you as a white person, to explain to me just how a black person, can be inferior to a white person ?, if anything, it is the other way round, ie that a white person is inferior to a black person.To me, The Great Debaiters simply told of a true life struggle, as all true life struggles are, of black people in America, but with a good solid central story.This film simply underlines a mindset that I thank god that I have never had.So, any film that shows up the whites as a bigoted, ill educated, and arrogant race, has my vote.Im aged 62 if anybody is interested, im not a young naive man, I've had black frienbds in my life, and white friends, and the blacks I have always found to be more interesting, and better educated, but my white friend just think they are.Descrimation is a terrible thing, so why are some white people descrimative ? When you reading this, finds out the real answer to this, pease let me know.