“Inspiring, but Derivative Hoop Tale”

Call it “Hoosiers in the Hood,” Coach Carter is based on the true story of an extraordinary Southern California basketball coach who inspired his players to greatness on the court and in the classroom. Ken Carter’s (Samuel L. Jackson) hard-nosed style of coaching landed him in hot water with parents and the school board at Richmond High: his players had previously signed an agreement that they would maintain a 2.3 GPA, but when they failed to uphold their end of the bargain, Carter locked the gym, effectively forfeiting several games. Due to Carter’s radical measures, the story gained national attention in 1999 and is now presented by director, Thomas Carter, and MTV Films.

The facts are staggering: only 50% of the student body at Richmond graduate, and of those students, only 6% go on to college. Coach Carter is quick to quote these statistics to his players—a bitter reality pill that jolts them into hitting the books. But academic reformation proves a challenge for many of the players, especially those with sordid pasts or turbulent family situations.

Take laconic Kenyon (Rob Brown) for instance; his life takes an unexpected turn when his girlfriend reveals she’s pregnant with his child. With his dreams of playing college ball hanging in the balance, his girlfriend makes a drastic, and life-altering, decision. This subplot is poignant and controversial, but also severely underdeveloped.

The movie’s tragic figure is Timo Cruz (Rick Gonzalez), a talented player whose involvement with drugs and gangs haunts him with every step—even after he determines to clean up his act. A tragic street shooting sends the frightened youth back to Coach Carter and the team, but there is a price for rejoining the squad…1,000 push-ups, which Cruz must complete by Friday night in order to play in the game. In the movie’s most touching scene, Cruz’ teammates pitch in and help the wayward player meet his quota, a teambuilding exercise secretly engineered by Carter.

Though the drills and strategies used by Carter mirror those employed by other coaches from a dozen other sports movies, Carter’s unswerving devotion to developing student athletes is still a refreshingly admirable aspect of the story. His formations, named after his seemingly endless supply of sisters, add levity to the movie’s dark moments, which unflinchingly display the grim reality of life on the streets.

Carter’s rousing speech before the big game is a definite high point, but it’s the movie’s unconventional ending that really stands out as “something different.” The rap/hip-hop soundtrack adds another level of gritty realism to the movie’s urban aesthetic. Coach Carter scores big with memorable performances and an edifying true story: it’s a winner despite missing a few free throws.

Rating: 2 1/2

Tags: Drama, Sport