The film Glory Road is the inspiring true story of a 1965 underdog Division One NCAA basketball team that made history by moving Black players to the forefront of the game. According to the film (which, as stated, is based on true events) there was an unwritten rule at the time that teams would play one Black player at home games, two on the road, and three if they were losing. This is the story of one coach who was more interested in being good (and wining games) than he was in simply “looking good,” and how it forever changed the game.

Unfortunately, it is a sports film that we’ve seen a hundred times already.

Therefore, if all of this sounds familiar, it should be, because, it was produced by the same guys that gave us 2002’s High School integrated football team film Remember the Titans. Now, while I don’t want to in any way diminish the importance of this film, or even any of the real-life events that it portrays, the whole thing seems somehow trite.

Hopefully the film’s message won’t be lost amid all of the similar-looking flicks already populating this genre, however, it really is a formulistic, generic sports film, which is simply too bad, as it really deserves better. Needless to say, you shouldn’t let any of this cause you to pass on viewing the film, as it truly deserves watching, if only as a testament to those who lived it.

My full review can be read here.

The Perfessor