Glory Road Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
Winning changes everything.
The incredible story of the team that changed the game forever.
40 years ago, Don Haskins went on the recruiting trail to find the best talent in the land, black or white. 7 blacks and 5 whites made up the legendary 1965-66 Texas Western Miners. They were mocked and ridiculed for their showboating and flaunting of black players on the court. Yet, in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, Haskins and his Miners came together as a team united to reach the National Championship game against powerhouse Kentucky.
| Josh Lucas | Don Haskins |
| Derek Luke | Bobby Joe Hill |
| Austin Nichols | Jerry Armstrong |
| Jon Voight | Adolph Rupp |
| Evan Jones | Moe Iba |
| Schin A.S. Kerr | David Lattin |
| Alphonso McAuley | Orsten Artis |
| Mehcad Brooks | Harry Flournoy |
| Sam Jones III | Willie Worsley |
| Damaine Radcliff | Willie 'Scoops' Cager |
| Emily Deschanel | Mary Haskins |
| Al Shearer | Nevil Shed |
| Red West | Ross Moore |
| Kip Weeks | Togo Railey |
| Mitch Eakins | Dick Myers |
| James Gartner |
7.00 out of 10 (4736 votes)
Visitor Reviews
a surprising technical detail
posted on 02 Aug 2009Full disclosure: I have not seen this movie, though from the splendid reviews I would like to. But I watched them filming this just off Bourbon Street in New Orleans in the summer of 2005, not long before Hurricane Katrina destroyed most of the city. We were staying at a hotel on Bourbon, and one fine evening I looked out the window of our room to see a white globe floating over the buildings across the street.Hokay, it's a UFO. Or something. But it didn't fly around or drop off aliens, so I went out to investigate. The fellow sitting on a folding chair guarding some cables said that indeed, they were shooting a movie named 'Glory Road.' The great globe turned out to be a helium-filled balloon worthy of space exploration. They had it tethered in the parking lot of a tire store with dozens of helium tanks and a generator to run the lights inside. It was, said the fellow, an artificial moon. So if you see a scene with the moon on the horizon in this movie, that's what it was. The balloon undulated slightly in the wind, but I suppose it's okay to have rubbery-looking astronomical objects in a basketball movie.
Inspirational, Moving, and Exciting
posted on 31 Jul 2009Contemporary films have fallen into two categories: Important and Irritating. Important films are "apparently" whatever is nominated for the Oscars or is never seen by anyone in the country, except those people who live in the big cities. Irritating is just about any silly effort by the Studios to catch on the latest trend or to make outrageous amount of money without being creative."Glory Road" is an important film because it tackles with issues that shaped our society and paved the way for positive changes into the fabric of our lives. It is set in the recent past, and some of its images reawaken the horror many in this country experienced. It is realistically portrayed, with fine characterization, and simple storytelling that presents its main points in direct and accessible ways. We are entertained as we learn about the past, and how we can prevent it from hurting us in the future.Josh Lucas and the rest of the supporting cast do a fine job reenacting an era that hasn't been long and forgotten. I'd rather see a movie of this caliber and with such a big heart that stand around, waiting for the latest soulless remake. "Glory Days" might not break any new ground, have the stamp of a famous director, break any new box office records, but it's moving, as it touches its audience with a message that is relevant and carries hope and many other positive qualities.It's an exceptional film.
Take It
posted on 27 Jul 2009I believe this was an incredible movie.You could feel the passion,the determination,the drive of these fine young men to win this game that made basketball history.To them it was definitely more than just a game,to them it clearly was their life.Josh Lucas acted pretty good in this movie,you actually believed he wanted to make the talent of the underdog black players known not only to themselves but to the rest of the world.Near the end of the movie when the players shouted "TAKE IT"I got goosebumps because I knew they were gonna win.There was no way anybody could stomp that determination they had at the precise moment.This movie is definitely a must see,it is truly an inspiration not just to black players but to all basketball players,that if you have talent make it known that you do.
An underdog team can win the big one
posted on 27 Jul 2009(Synopsis) "Glory Road" was inspired by a true story of Texas Western's Coach Don Haskins (Josh Lucas), who led the first all-black starting lineup team to the 1966 NCAA national basketball championship title. Coach Haskins has a lot going against him: first, Texas Western has a poor basketball program, and second, he cannot recruit good white players to the team. Coach Haskins goes to Northern cities to recruit talented black players from the streets to play for his team. The black players must adjust to his coaching, and not play street basketball. Coach Haskins doesn't see color when he evaluates the skill of all of his players, and chooses who plays in the game. With courage and determination, Coach Haskins changed basketball history, when his underdog team beats the powerhouse Kentucky team.(Comment) This is a very good movie that you should see. It portrays the racial hardships that the coach and all of his players encountered during the 60's. Even though you know that the team wins the championship game, you still root for them during the game. At the end of the movie when the credits start to roll, please stay in your seat, because you will see photos of the actual players with a short commentary, and their careers. You will see an interview with Pat Riley, who played on the Kentucky team, and you will also see footage from the real game. I liked this part the best, because it let you know what happened to the players in life. (Disney Pictures, Run time 1:49, Rated PG) (8/10)
A story worth telling, a movie worth seeing.
posted on 25 Jul 2009I'd like to recommend seeing this movie. It's the first movie that I've attended in a long time where at the end of the movie most of the audience broke out into spontaneous applause (a mostly white bread group, too). Stay around for the credits. While they run, you'll see pictures, footage, and interviews of the REAL people involved. Historically, pretty right on. I don't usually suggest that high school history classes "movie-fy" their history, but this gives a feeling of the racial "climate" (attitudes, some of what it felt like to live the situation -- fear, anger, pride, team support, friendship, etc) in a movie that doesn't feel as preachy as most of this genre and that younger people will find interesting and entertaining (so they'll pay attention). This happened in the 60's: PRE- Remember the Titans and at the college level instead of high school. It has many excellent performances. Yes, it makes use of some of the usual clichés in sports movies, but what's important in the movie is the story about people and events that changed the sports world (and our country) for the better. The movie wasn't trying to be an art film or change movie-making. It was trying to tell a story worth telling and I think they did it well.
Basketball version of 'Remember the Titans'
posted on 23 Jun 2009I liked Remember the Titans, so I also like this movie. I went to a sneak preview on Jan 9 with my sons (9 & 12), my friend and his 12 YO son.Everyone was pleased with the movie. The 9 YO didn't remember 'Titans' so this subject was new for him and it sparked many questions about race relations and that era. I was only 3 YO when the movie took place, so it was difficult to explain, but I think the point(s) were made.I am not a movie critic, but I know what I like, sports and movies. So it was a natural fit. I did not know the story line, but found it interesting and did find a way to make the same events different than Titans.No academy awards here, but I felt it was well acted and directed.It makes you think and being Caucasian I felt ashamed at times during this movie.
Basketball's Remember the Titans
posted on 17 Jun 2009I saw the film previewed tonight at the NCAA convention in Indianapolis. Josh Lucas acting is excellent and the portrayal is on target of the team that changed college basketball by breaking the color barrier. These guys were great and the film depicts them accurately. Coach Haskins is a hero. The acting is first class and believable.Several real players and the Asst. Choach from the 1966 team were at the preview tonight for a Q & A session following the film. They found the film to be mostly accurate with only a little Hollywood touch.This is one to see. Take the kids to have them learn what discipline and hard work can overcome.I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Jerry Bruckheimer has another WINNER! Great work.Jim Sagona (sagonaj@neumann.edu)
Works better as a movie than a history lesson
posted on 24 May 2009"We play fundamental, disciplined, defensive basketball." Don Haskins wasn't interested in flashy, behind-the-back passes. Initially, slam dunks were even banned. Coming from the school of thought that "showboatin's nothing but insecurity," Haskins was intent on teaching a group of street-ballers the fine art of fundamentals because he knew that's what it would take to win a championship.Haskins also had no interest in making political statements. He believed in recruiting the best raw talent he could find, regardless of race or background. His main goal was to win basketball games, and he would do that any way he could. He chose to play an all-black starting lineup against the all-white Kentucky Wildcats in the NCAA championship game not so that he could champion a cause but because those were the guys he thought would give the team the best chance of winning. It just so happens that Haskins and Texas Western were able to break down a few color barriers along the way. As one of the original players said, "We didn't break down all the doors, but we opened some." The thing that impressed me most regarding Glory Road is the authentic look and feel of the movie, particularly the championship game. Filmed with a gritty, sepia look, the viewer gets the sense that he's watching genuine footage from the '60s. The cinematography executes a great balance between colorful and drab, effectively capturing the environment of the time and location.Production design is just as authentic, using replicas of signs and banners that were at the actual game. Those with a real eye for detail will note that even the concession cups carry the Coca-Cola design of 1966. And of course, a basketball movie set in 1966 wouldn't be complete without the super tight short shorts. Youngsters familiar only with the parachute pants that players wear these days might be in for a culture shock.It's worth noting that the cast and crew were so intent on making the championship game as accurate as possible that they studied choreographed storyboards of each play that would be recreated for the film. Homemade video footage of the game was used to assure legitimacy.Unfortunately, legitimacy isn't a main concern with regard to the rest of the story. Glory Road is fast, dramatic, and often funny, but it plays it loose with the facts. Some purists might be dismayed, but director Gartner admits, "We took some artistic license as this isn't intended to be a biopic." Haskins didn't swoop into El Paso, quickly find a group of black players, and then turn them into a championship team in one year, as the movie would have you believe. He slowly built the team. He became the head coach of Texas Western in 1961 and made it to the championship in 1966. Also, the movie is peppered with racial tension among teammates and hotel ransackings that never happened. Can you say "added for dramatic effect"? But I suggest that you not dwell too much on the factual inconsistencies. The bottom line is that Glory Road is not only entertaining, but it also gets across an important point. No, Haskins wasn't trumpeting a cause, but his desire to win at any cost went a long way in changing the national perception of black athletes and helped kick start the desegregation of college sports.If you agree with Haskins' "Decent don't cut it with me" mantra then check out Glory Road. It's not just decent; it's a really good mixture of fact and fiction that tells one of the most important, and least known, stories in sports history.Make sure you stay through the closing credits.
Historical event, yes; memorable film, not quite
posted on 20 May 2009Okay, I suppose I should have a little more awe and respect for this film, considering it chronicles a major step in the civil rights movement – the first time an all-black college basketball starting team won an NCCA championship (in 1966).The problem wasn't the event, it was the movie. I didn't like any of the characters. The whites (except for the head coach and the Caucasion players) were universally violent and ignorant, while the black players were whining, militant crybabies.True, there were certainly obstacles for the African-American athletes (mostly from Nothern venues like Indiana, Michigan and New York), to overcome; and there were obviously idiot rednecks to deal with, but the black players seemed just as prejudiced and disrespectful towards their white teammates (even losing their only game of the season because of this attitude).There's even a scene in which one player, Willie Worsley, tells another that they should be more like Malcolm Little (Malcolm X) than Dr. Martin Luther King. Not a subtle message here, friends.There's just no empathy for anyone. Plus, as far as sports drama goes, there really isn't much here, either. The Texas Western (now the University of Texas, El Paso) Miners of that season, coached by Don Haskins (Josh Lucas, "Stealth," "An Unfinished Life"), was a top 10 team most of the season. They were not recognized by most of the country not so much because of their starting black players, but they were a small school from deep in the heart of Texas. It was more of a geographical situation.Sure some uninitiated dopes in the country at the time (especially in the South) did not put much stock in black athletes, but they were already proving themselves in the NBA (Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Lenny Wilkins, Elgin Baylor, Oscar Robinson, among others), as well as other sports, pro and college, so some of the resentment doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense.By the time the Miners met Kentucky (coached by the legendary Adoulph Rupp, a short but well-done performance by Jon Voight) in the NCAA finals that year, they were a tough, battle-seasoned squad that could compete with any team in the nation.Sadly, that concluding game had little drama as Texas Western won by seven, although director James Gartner tries to make this as compelling as possible. The most interesting game was 1966 Midwest regional finals, in which Kansas' Jo Jo White hit a last-second basket to beat TW, but it was called off as he supposedly stepped out of bounds. The Miners also barely got by the Cincinnati Bearcats in overtime in an earlier NCAA tournament contest not mentioned in the movie.I also did not like the fact that Haskins (according to this picture) precluded his white players from even participating in the title game (the only time those young men would ever be at such a venue), as if they made no contributions whatsoever. It seemed pretty intolerant and weird to me. Not even giving them a chance to step on the court and cherish the glory of one minute's playing time was a bizarre strategy.As hotshot point guard Billy Joe Hill, Derek Luke ("Antwone Fisher," "Friday Night Lights") gives the best performance, but Lucas' Haskins is the clichéd tough guy coach with a heart of gold we've seen in countless such movies.Overall, while this is an interesting film that I recommend people to see (if for the historical element, if nothing else), I still think "Hoosiers" is the definitive underdog basketball motion picture, hands down. And while Disney gives it a yeoman's effort here, I even enjoyed their last sports film, "The Greatest Game Ever Played," more than this one.As a side note, look for the real Haskins (who coached UTEP into the late 90s) in a cameo as an NBC analyst during the final contest.
Very good
posted on 16 May 2009I saw this tonight at a VIP screening it is a good motivational tool for all people. It shows how people can overcome obstacles and to not let other people attitude affect you.When you have a setback do not let it turn into a psychological stumbling block. I enjoyed it and highly recommend it. The film also encourages diversity and show how even individuals within the same race can have conflict it shows how to resolve conflict.The film also showed me how to look and myself and my own shortcomings before i am critical of others.Once an individuals sees this they will come out with a positive attitude. I highly recommend this film
Glory Road shoots a long 3
posted on 14 May 2009I went thinking I was going to see a basketball movie with an inspirational message - you know, like Hoosiers or Miracle or Rudy. I left with a bucket of tears and a smile in my heart.Once again a trailer failed to show the strengths of a movie. Basketball was played. Strategy was laid out. Love was shown. Sometimes people smiled. More than that, evil, hatred and ugliness destroyed lives and hope. But, above all, determination is the victor. Thats the way it was in the movie and that's the way it was during that time in our world's history. It seemed that the movie could have gone a little further to condemn the racism and hatred during the mid 60's but I think the intent in this movie is to show how love and determination were more important than fear and hate.See this movie for any number of reasons but do not expect to see a perfect movie with spellbinding performances. The message is everything in this movie and my message is, "Go see it"!
A Shallow Disneyrama Flick That Doesn't Slam-Dunk
posted on 08 Apr 2009Nothing should take away from the amazing circumstances that led coach Don Haskins to defy southern standards and start playing a mostly black NCAA team in El Paso, Texas during a time when the U.S. was rife with bigoted undertones. But then you watch this Disney film and wonder what went wrong...The legend of "The Bear" (Haskins) lives on in the El Paso community and should leave little doubt in anyone's mind that this great man accomplished something extraordinary in 1966 by leading his black and white Texas Western basketball team to the national title. But in the hands of screenwriter Bettina Gilois, the film falls far short of rousing entertainment.The movie stars Josh Lucas (SECOND HAND LIONS) as Coach Haskins and Lucas pulls in a good role from this languid script. Matching "The Bear's" attitude toward discipline and basketball basics, Lucas' performance was the cherry on this otherwise melting, gooey mess. When we first meet Haskins, he's the coach of a girls high school basketball team and is approached by the tiny NCAA school of Texas Western. Hungry to advance his coaching career, he and his family move into the dorm for the Western team, only to learn that there's little hope for success from such a small community with a crumbling stadium. But Haskins won't give up. He travels around to various states with his coaching team, hoping to find some successful players. But all of the Great White Hopes refuse to join up. So Haskins' search takes him to Harlem, Detroit and other less-than-appealing locales, digging up some of the best black talent the streets have to offer. He meets with much resistance upon returning home, too. People call him and his team the "N" word, as well as other unseemly titles. But these taunts soon turn to amazed cheers as Haskins leads his team to a near undefeated first season. And when Haskins team makes it to the NCAA finals, he starts a pure black team, something never heard of in basketball up to that point.There's nothing wrong with this awesome historical story, but its execution was lacking on so many levels as to make it a yawner. The audience is jerked from one set of circumstances to the next and they never get to focus on one particular character nor care about any of these wonderful kids (most viewers will probably feel fairly detached rather than anything approaching familiarity).Comparisons between HOOSIERS and GLORY ROAD can easily be seen (although one is about high school ball while the other is NCAA), and the former still rules the high cinematic ground. Gene Hackmans' coach Dale far outclasses Lucas' portrayal of Haskins, not to mention Hoosiers excellent cohesive story, something completely absent in Glory Road. And this is a sad statement. Someone as important in the racial arena as "The Bear" should have had a much better film made about him and his brave team. But instead we get this snoozer, a lackadaisical Disneyrama film with poor character development and shallow entertainment. Stick to Hoosiers; you'll be glad you did.
not true to the past
posted on 02 Apr 2009You have to show UK's coach true feelings, we all know what they were,here are a few of those. "blacks can not shoot free throws" TWC went 28 for 32 that night, "You have to pump fake, the blacks always go for that move" They can't hold a lead,and they can't come from behind. not true that night The fact that UK was the last, to have Blacks on there team shows how the coach felt. He could have done so much, if coach Rupp had told the people of his state that this is what we need to win, the people would have back him, he had so much power. This is not shown in the film. The people who do not know the story, this is a great film, but for the ones that know,we were robbed..
Great actors bring you to the "foul" line of racism in the 60's.
posted on 21 Mar 2009"Glory Road" received a 9 rating from me because it invoked a basket full of emotions I had forgotten. Racial convictions and misconceptions of many folks during the 60's where portrayed realistically. The acting was strong. I felt elation and anger from the edge of my seat as the team progressed. At the end of the film the credits started to roll and the theater was emptying quickly. Then unexpectedly, the screen began showing photos of the real people involved in the story with a line or two about how their life progressed from the time of the final game until now. The remaining audience froze in their steps to drink in the personal information being shared. The characters had been portrayed in such depth, we wanted to know what happened to them. We knew them. When the credits roll, stay in your seat, you will also want to know where each person's journey took them.
Perfectly decent, but anyone could make this film
posted on 09 Mar 2009Based on true events, Bruckheimer-produced 'Glory Road' tells the Disney-fied story of the underdog Texas Western University men's basketball team that won the National Championship in 1966 while starting, for the first time in NCAA history, five African-American players. Here we are offered a slice of racial prejudice, team spirit and overcoming odds, all bundled up under the fatherly banner of coach Don Hoskins (Josh Lucas).First let me begin by saying that I do not know much about the circumstances surrounding or account of events that took place on the basketball scene in 1960's America, but it becomes clear that its content is a relentless, classic underdog story readily-molded to be milked by Disney's peachy P.C. outlook. 'Glory Road' is sport movie by the numbers, featuring an earnest, hard-working rookie coach, reluctant but idealist players, ups and downs, swelly climactic basketball games and newspaper montages of the team's national success. It is of course not so much a sports romp as it is a treatment of racial prejudice in the American sport scene and the latter is well-executed with the marginalized black Americans always taking a backseat to the white boys, in clubs, in competitions, in cafés and in dorms. It's mostly a rehash of 'Remember the Titans', but it is also a rather compelling set-up that is bound to elicit a response.About the rehash issue regrettably, 'Glory Road' has perfected the art. James Gartner is a debut director and it shows in the safe, derivative plotturns that he steers the film with, proceeding down a militantly formulaic trajectory. There are the coach's dutiful locker-room rallying speeches about discipline and about how he "does not see colour" and hallmark staples such as "it's not about talent, it's about heart.", there are race-specific confrontations between the players, there is that one excellent player who wants to quit, and there are lofty political events framing the story. There is in this way a few too many Disney notions, and certainly you will find more corn than Kellogg's in the purposely poignant buddy moments. Similarly, the film boasts of no accolades in subtlety: the good guys (Josh Lucas) are really, really good and the bad guys (the racist coach Jon Voigh with prosthetic nose and ears) are really, really bad and his contingent of sinister white players resembles a Klan rally.Having said that, 'Glory Road' is well written in terms of dialogue and story. I know I said the characters are polarized in terms of alignment and that there are cheesy gems interwoven in the dialogue, but the truth is that the rest of the script is actually quite catchy. For one, it is simply much funnier than I could ever have hoped for with comic situations and good one-liners en masse. The characters may not be the most original ever but they are superbly supported by the cast's performances. Josh Lucas turns in a likable, earnest interpretation of the dirt-poor but hopeful coach, although I may be swayed by the fact that I an in love with this man. Derek Luke is emotionally transparent as ever. Jon Voight has limited screen time, but communicates so much in his scenes. Best of all however, in spite of the PG rating, 'Glory Road' is never desperately Disney cutesy or silly. Lastly, there is an excellent vintage soundtrack.7 out of 10
One of the Best Sports Movies
posted on 15 Feb 2009The first time I saw this movie I immediately fell in love with it.It was pretty much like Remember the Titans only it delt with basketball. The movie is about a basketball coach that is given a job at a small college in Texas in 1965. He is told to recruit players and while doing it he recruits seven black players. The people and the school are upset but he does what he feels is right and he ends up starting three black players in the first game. They win all of the regular season games except for one. They end up winning the NCAA Championship and the coach only plays the black players. It is an excellent movie and it teaches us a very important lesson and that is that we should judge a person by who they are and not by the color of their skin.
Not Up to the Standards of Some Other Films
posted on 03 Feb 2009This is a decent basketball movie, although I found out that it is virtually inaccurate. Don't take any of it as historically accurate. Now that doesn't diminish what Don Haskins accomplished. He just took longer than the time frame. The other thing that disappointed me was characterization. I never felt close to any of the players. They seemed to be a racial entity. The game scenes were OK but there just seemed to be a missing element. One of the biggest turnoffs for me was the pomposity of the coach. His endless speech making and philosophizing. Maybe he was like this, but I don't know how much of that stuff really inspires anyone. The film needed some other conflict than the usual racism of the south. I'd like to find out more about Adolph Rupp. How accurately was he portrayed? Anyway, when compared to "Hoosiers," or "Remember the Titans," this doesn't have the substructure of those sports films.
Glory Road's History of TWC and Games Inaccurate
posted on 30 Jan 2009Glory Road is a very entertaining movie if you are will to overlook its many inaccuracies. The movie would make the viewer think that Coach Haskins came to TWC and recruited a national championship caliber team in his first year as a collegiate coach. The truth is that Coach Haskins had been at TWC for 3 or 4 years before the national championship year and that there were several black players already at TWC including Nolan Richardson. Haskins also recruited Jim Barnes before the championship year and teams that Barnes played on may have been better than the championship team.The film also take too many liberties with the games that were played during the championship year. The first game of the year was not a nail biter as the film shows but almost a 50 point blowout. The film shows that Iowa led TWC most of the game. The Iowa game was never close and certainly was no buzzer beater. The fact is that TWC only played a handful of games that were close that year, most notably against New Mexico and then in the NCAA Tournament against Cincy and Kansas.The most disappointing inaccuracy shown in the film was the final game against Kentucky. Kentucky only led briefly in the game and TWC had as much as an 11 point lead in the 2nd half. TWC was not behind when Bobby Joe Hill stole the ball twice in the first half. The two steals allowed TWC to expand its lead to 5 points and set the tone for the rest of the game. I know the producers of the movie had to have a more exciting finish to keep the audience excited but the truth is that the game was never much in doubt. If anyone has seen the actual game film that exists, you will see a poorly played offensive game by both teams and an outstanding defensive effort by TWC. The movie should have paid more time on Coach Haskins' three guard strategy to counter Kentucky's fast break offense.Glory Road is an inspirational movie but not a very accurate movie if you know the history of TWC. See the movie if you want to watch a feel good movie but not if you are looking for sports fact.
good movie with some flaws
posted on 28 Jan 2009i would like to say,that my vote of 6 is enough&this vote don't mean ,that i dislike this movie.if you exclude some sentimental scenes{they are the one of the few flaws in "Glory Road"}this movie deserves attention,because it speaks with wisdom about so important problem like racism{problem not only in North America} another thing:i can't stand movies about sports{especially baseball}.there are so many bad movies about any kind of sport,but this movie is not one of them.for my surprise"Glory Road"has an acceptable,even wonderful humor.yes it is another version of the eternal story about "David vs.Goliat".besides it has a well selected soundtrack. about racism:skills are more important than color.i'm thinking that the prejudices are created by the governments,because it's much easier to rule people,which are unleashed one people versus other human beings.hatred is the one of the fastest ways to earn money.
Surprisingly good!
posted on 06 Aug 2009Glory Road is much better than I expected! I must admit I went in expecting some dorky moments and weak acting, because so many sports-oriented films in the past have had those moments when you roll your eyes and smirk. But this movie only has a couple of those moments, and they're fleeting ones. Overall, I found myself emotionally touched and very moved by the story and it's portrayal.And don't pass it up because you think it's just a sports movie! It's not. It's MUCH more than that. It does a wonderful job of portraying the racial tensions that existed in the mid-1960's, and it can be a fine teaching tool for a younger generation that may not be familiar with the civil rights struggle and how we really CAN live together and love one another. And kids older than 7 or 8 should be fine...there's no foul language other than some racial epithets that unfortunately are necessary to portray the tensions of that time...and you can discuss this with the kids after the movie.And don't leave the theater early...stay through the credits...because there are numerous clips with Pat Riley (who played on the Kentucky team in the NCAA Finals against Texas Western), Coach Don Haskins of Texas Western (now UTEP), and many of the Texas Western players from that team. A very nice touch at the end of the film.Very emotional and really well done. A mature type of "Hoosiers."