Movie Review: Coach Carter

The movie “Coach Carter” is indeed an inspirational movie. The movie starring Samuel L. Jackson who portrayed real-life figure Ken Carter, graduated from California's Richmond High, who is now a successful sporting good owner store. He was offered to coach high school basketball team Richmond Oiler in his old school and he reluctantly accepted the job. Disappointed by the poor manners and poor skills of the team’s play performance, Carter set strict rules for the players, insisting they signed contracts ensuring everyone in the team would maintain a 2.3 GPA, attend every class and wear a tie and a jacket on game day. Some of the players disagreed with his approach and decided to leave the team. In spite of some of the players leaving the team, Carter never gave up. With Carter’s rigorous workout, the team began the season as the unbeatable team.

The climax of the movie started when Carter found out that most of his players were doing poorly in their academic, he immediately locked the team out of the gym in the midst of their undefeated season, cancelling all their training. As a result the team forfeited a few games. His action caused uproar from the team’s parents, school and community. The school board eventually ended the lockout by using a voting system and Carter lost by 4-2 votes. As Carter still held strongly to his principles, he was determined to show the boys that by merely relying on sports, it won’t do them any good for their futures. Thus, he decided to resign. When he was in his gym packing his stuff, he found the boys studying in the gym with some teachers tutoring them. His players remarked to Carter that even though the lockout has ended and the gym reopened, the school board could not make them play. At that moment, Cruz, one of the team players finally stood up to answer Carter’s question on “What’s your deepest fear?” by replying “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” With this Carter realized that his team understood his intention. Their gesture touched Carter and he decided to stay with his team.

As soon as the players managed to pull up their grades, they set out to the high school championship playoff. Unfortunately, luck was not on their side as they have to face the number one team in the state, Saint Francis on their first round. Saint Francis beat Richmond Oiler by 2 points with the score of 70-68. This marginal defeat badly disappointed them. However, after hearing Carter’s inspirational talk saying that he was proud of them for they have done their best; the team walked out from their rest room with heads held high and with dignity. The movie ended with a coda telling us that six of the players managed to secure scholarships to college who are Damien Carter, Timo Cruz, Junior Battle, Jason Lyle, Worm and Kenyon Stone.

In the movie, there were many interesting characters that made the movie alive. One of the characters which I personally found motivational was Ken Carter, Richmond Oiler’s basketball coach. He had his own principles and he stood strong to it. His principles were challenged when he was criticized by the boy’s parents, school and community for locking up the gym due to the players failing to perform according to their agreement of maintaining their grades. Nevertheless he still held strongly to his principles which in the end managed to touch the hearts of his players. Not forgetting the team players, Junior Battle, Jason Lyle, Worm, Kenyon Stone and especially Timo Cruz who were casted as the undisciplined group in the earlier part of the story. Toward the later part of the show, they were portrayed as nice and disciplined group under the rigorous training and guidance from Carter.

Many social issues are also discussed in the movie which can be used to reflect on our current society. Firstly, there is the issue of teenage pregnancy. When one gets pregnant, there are many commitments to be done. In the movie, Kyra who was pregnant, gave up her plans to further her studies in college. On the other hand, Kenyon who was the father of the baby, was confused whether to continue playing college basketball or to find work to provide a living for the baby and the mother. In addition, there is also the issue of disrespectful attitudes towards the older generations. Starting of the movie, the players often used vulgar words in their daily conversations such as addressing people as dogs, bitches, ass and etc. Next, the movie also tried to include social issue such as the drug menace. One of the team players, Timo Cruz was seen dealing drugs with the help of his cousin. Only when he saw his cousin was shot in front of him, he started to reflect on his life. Another social issue heighted in the movie is the lack of moral values among teenagers. Girls and guys are seen mixing freely without restrictions. Carter found his players having a wild party in a rich girl’s house. For instance, Carter found Damien in the pool, flirting and kissing the girls.

As conclusion, this movie is very inspirational to all ages society especially the teenagers as there are many moral values found in the story which can be used to apply in our daily life. For example, it highlights the importance of balancing sports and education. In this movie, Carter strongly insisted that his players have to maintain their grades because being good in sport does not ensure them being able to enter college or better said, to have to brighter future. Moreover, team unity is important. For a team to achieve its goal, the team must be united. Starting of the movie, Richmond Oiler basketball team was depicted as a weak team due to lack of respect the team had for each other. There were cursing and fighting among the team players which indicated there was no unity among them. Carter’s rigorous training had slowly built up unity in them. For example Cruz failed to complete Carter’s punishments in order to join back the team; nevertheless his team members came to complete his punishments. As quoted by one of the team members, Jason Lyle: “You said we’re a team. One person struggles, we all struggle. One person triumphs, we all triumph”.