All right sports fans, here's yet another feel-good movie brought to you by Disney in its recent series of inspirational sports films.
Based on true events, "Glory Road" tells the story of the 1966 Texas Western team that rose up against unbeatable odds to win the NCAA championship. The team broke through racial barriers and changed ideas about basketball by becoming the first NCAA team to play an all-black starting lineup.
It has all the required elements — tribulation, triumph and, of course, a grueling practice montage. And really, what good sports movie isn't the story of a long-shot team that comes from behind to accomplish big things and come out victorious in the end? Although not completely original, audiences will become absorbed in the moving story line.
The movie stars Josh Lucas ("Stealth," "Sweet Home Alabama") as coach Don Haskins, a resourceful and ambitious small town man with only one desire — to propel his small underfunded team to victory.
After traditional recruiting methods prove ineffective, Haskins and his assistants travel the country seeking some street talent. To the chagrin of his superiors, he returns to Texas with seven black players and is convinced that they will help bring success to the long-shot team.
Haskins challenges his team to work together and leave behind its street ball ways to play strict fundamental basketball. The team encounters little opposition early on, but as the film progresses, the racial tensions become greater and the players are forced to confront the issue. Playing with heart and raw talent, the team manages to make it to the NCAA championship to compete against the all-white University of Kentucky Wildcats, in a game that has been called one of the greatest NCAA championships of all time.
"Glory Road" is reminiscent of recent sports flicks like "Miracle" and is most closely compared to "Remember the Titans." It has the same premise — an underdog team is forced to confront racial issues during the civil rights era and learn that victory knows no skin color.
At first, the film seems like it could be a replica of "Remember the Titans" with different sports equipment, but it ends up being able to differentiate itself well. The movie brings in a different aspect of humor that makes it stand out from the other films and makes light of complicated racial issues at first.
The motivational speeches coach Haskins gives to bring hope to his underdog team are less than inspirational at times but still effective, and are more realistic than the typical flowery speeches in most movies.
"Glory Road" proves to be an uplifting and inspirational film that will entertain both sports buffs and the athletically uninterested alike. It is able to stand out from Disney's recent gamut of sports flicks and leave the audience clapping and cheering at the end.
