Samuel L. Jackson is one tough guy and it shows in his new movieCoach Carter.
Coach Carter is based on a true story. In 1999, Richmond High School (California) made headlines when basketball coach Ken Carter benched his entire undefeated team because some of the students were failing classes.
Samuel L. Jackson plays the coach of the Richmond Oilers. This man has high expectations - the team has to run suicides, do pushup, sit at the front of the class and every player has to maintain a 2.3 grade point average, instead of the required 2.0 to stay on the team. On his first day on the job, he makes the players sign contracts. But some of them walk out on him, including tough guy Timo Cruz (Rick Gonzalez).
Carter whips the team into shape, and they start winning every game. But there is a snag in the story. The team isn't holding up its end of the contract - players are failing, and not attending class.
Right before a big game, Carter chains up and locks the gym doors and tells the team to meet him in the library.
What stands out about this film is the theme of success. It's not enough for the team to win games if they aren't going to win in life. Carter wants them to accomplish things off the court as well. But the community and society works against him. Even the player's parents tell him basketball is all the students have which isn't a positive message.
Director Thomas Carter (no relation to the real life Carter) has dabbled in the field of success message for African Americans before. He directed Save the Last Dance (2001), in which a young black man attempts to overcome his neighbourhood and go to medical school.
Jackson is the strongest force in the film, next to the actual story. The man can act. He's passionate, tough, and in control. He intimidates the players, and he doesn't hesitate to show them whose boss. I don't think there are many coaches would force players to do 1,000 pushups when they step out of line.
But he isn't the unfailing hero either. He loses his temper, he admits he's wrong, he encourages when he can, and holds himself above the players when he has to. To call him a sympathetic good guy would definitely be inaccurate. But in the film, coach Carter meets the players on a level they understand.
There are several underlying plots including the relationship between father Carter and his son Damien (Robert Ri'chard) and between Kenyon Stone (Rob Brown) and his pregnant girlfriend (Ashanti). Ashanti is probably the weakest actor in the film, but the actors playing the team are sufficiently angry, confused and tough.
Although the film is like many underdog-to-top-dog Hollywood sports movies, it avoids the cliché ending and has an amazing story going for it. It's definitely worth checking out.
