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Coach Carter
Paramount Pictures


8.3

based on 36 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 48 votes
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FILM:

MPAA RATING: PG-13 for violence, sexual content, language, teen partying and some drug material

Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Ri'chard, Rob Brown, Debbi Morgan, Ashanti, Rick Gonzalez, Antwon Tanner, and Nana Gbewonyo

Inspired by a true-life story, Coach Carter is an inspirational account of a controversial high school basketball coach, who received both high praise and staunch criticism when he made national news in 1999 for benching his entire undefeated basketball team for poor academic performance. (Paramount)

GENRE(S):	Drama
WRITTEN BY:	Mark Schwahn John Gatins
DIRECTED BY:	Thomas Carter
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: June 21, 2005 Video: June 21, 2005 Theatrical: January 14, 2005
RUNNING TIME:	136 minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	USA

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Washington Post Sean Daly

This entry in a rather stale genre deserves to be put at the head of the class.

Miami Herald Connie Ogle

Descended from a long and healthy line of high school-sports and academic-achievement films, a hip-hop "Hoosiers" bolstered by a generous helping of "Stand and Deliver" and "Lean On Me."

Premiere Sara Brady

A sports flick that’s a worthy addition to the genre.

New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman

By turns funny, touching and genuinely inspiring.

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

Jackson has the usual big speeches assigned to all coaches in all sports movies, and delivers on them, big time. His passion makes familiar scenes feel new.

Chicago Tribune Sid Smith

A true story, feel-good parable and a respectable, uplifting descendent of "To Sir, With Love" and "Lean On Me."

Philadelphia Inquirer Carrie Rickey

It's fair to say that Coach Carter is more an education film than it is a sports movie.

Washington Post Desson Thomson

Covers every cliche in the Hollywood sports movie playbook, but it also makes the routine much more enjoyable than you'd expect.

Film Threat James Wegg

Unfortunately, the accompanying story threads tend to bog down the action rather than provide contrast between the games.

Variety Robert Koehler

Both an inspirational sports movie and an unexpected multi-level urban drama that plays by its own clock.

Salon.com Stephanie Zacharek

Coach Carter, its flaws aside, is as interesting for what it doesn't do as for what it does.

New York Magazine Ken Tucker

Jackson's wonderfully nuanced, witty performance, and a few unexpected plot turns, give Coach Carter a subtext that helps complicate such knee-jerk oversimplifications, redeeming the role with energetic humor and a loose-limbed grace.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold

While the movie may border on teen exploitation in many scenes, its heart and values are mostly in the right place, and it qualifies its thrill of victory with a very sober message: few high school athletes become NBA millionaires, many are cheated out of an education.

Boston Globe Wesley Morris

Who's it for? How do you put this message across without it seeming medicinal? Sure, MTV is among the movie's producers, but what 11th grader wants to spend a Friday night being hit with such a blunt instrument?

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Rick Groen

When [Jackcson]'s not on camera, Coach Carter feels like the two-hour opus it is — too long, too banal, a bit ridiculous. But when he is, nothing else seems to matter, and how sublime is that.

Charlotte Observer Lawrence Toppman

Heartwarming drama.

LA Weekly Ernest Hardy

The corniness and predictability feel, if not quite fresh, then not so groaningly stale.

The New York Times Dana Stevens

This may be the coach's story, but to the extent that Coach Carter is interesting rather than merely inspirational, it's because of the team.

The Hollywood Reporter Michael Rechtshaffen

Thanks mainly to his (Jackson) considerable presence, Coach Carter works more effectively than expected.

Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern

A smart entertainment that trades on Mr. Jackson's forceful presence, a cast of extremely likable young actors and lots of basketball action.

TV Guide Maitland McDonagh

Delivers its commendable message with affecting eloquence.

Empire Simon Braund

It's a good story, well told.

Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

Jackson, though, does lend this earnest formula flick a core of conviction.

Dallas Observer Bill Gallo

Director Thomas Carter (no relation to Ken) relies on processed emotion and stock characters, and not even the inevitable Big Game excites us very much.

Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt

The movie's moral messages are all on target. Too bad the movie is much, much too long and Jackson gives one of his dullest performances ever.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Nathan Rabin

Coach Carter eventually curdles into a grim love letter to discipline and accountability, which makes it the perfect sports film for W.'s second term, but not a whole lot of fun.

Los Angeles Times Carina Chocano

So, while the movie at times warmed my own middle-class, private school-educated cockles to a toasty complacency, there's an undercurrent of friendly fascism running through it like a nasty draft.

ReelViews James Berardinelli

The main problem with Coach Carter can be summed up simply: too much sermonizing.

USA Today Mike Clark

2-1/4 hours of MTV-produced tough love, with a dance break and pool party to relieve -- momentarily -- a series of motivational rants from lead Samuel L. Jackson.

Portland Oregonian Shawn Levy

As it goes on and on and on, Coach Carter becomes more patience-testing than soul-stirring, proving that you can overdose on good intentions as easily as you can on evil substances.

Village Voice David Blaylock

Proudly wearing its self-righteousness like a letterman jacket, Coach Carter's just an exasperatingly long "The More You Know" commercial starring one first-stringer and the junior varsity.

New York Post Debra Birnbaum

Predictable.

Chicago Reader J.R. Jones

In the end I couldn't be sure whether its morality was complex or just confused. Like its young athletes, it earns a gentleman's C.

San Francisco Chronicle Carla Meyer

Features bursts of humor and electrifying energy offset by speechifying and a dud of a subplot.

Austin Chronicle Marrit Ingman

The script is really the heart of the problem.

Rolling Stone Peter Travers

This afternoon-TV special trying to pass as a real movie earns an extra half star solely for Samuel L. Jackson, who brings his usual fire to the role.

The average user rating for this movie is 8.3 (out of 10) based on 48 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Jay G. gave it an8:
It's worth watching. Really good performance by actors, good music and incredible story makes this movie an excellent material.

Suleiman M. gave it a7:
Not a bad movie, not bad at all. Story was good, and the games looked nice, however, the only thing that made me watch was samuel L. Jackson. Overall, it's worth a rent, that's about it.

Disappointed Parent gave it a0:
The movie was excellent. I found it so motivating that I went to his website and ordered a book. It's been almost 4 months and I have yet to see a book. I'm very dissappointed with this whole experience. It's hard to have faith in people when situations like this occure. I truly felt coach carter was genuine and had a great love for helping our children have a better understanding of the importance to do well in school. I hope this isn't business as usual.

Curtis C gave it a10:
Its a awesome film..Great story line..It gives you a very good understanding of the life of poor urban people have and what the can if the try.Truly inspirational.It is the best movie i have seen.

Dan C. gave it a7:
An entertaining film that has something significant to say. I agree with Brian's review that it paints a picture of life among poor urban people of color that is sometimes too benign and easy. However, evaluating the film as a film, as opposed to its political merits, it is a solid effort with a passionate performance by Samuel L. Jackson at its heart. It challenges the view that basketball is "the only thing these kids have," as the well-meaning but ineffectual principal tells Jackson at one point. In response to Brian's points about the historical origins of inequality, they're both correct and irrelevant. A dose of discipline and self-respect, combined with education, can help lift young people out of a cycle of poverty and limited prospects. The military proves this every day (I am not a militarist, but do respect the armed forces abilitly to build character). Given our political tradition of individualism, the government (reflecting the will of the majority of the country) is not going to step in anytime soon (or ever) to rectify the injustices of the past with massive infusions of financial help to lift the downtrodden. Their only real option is to do it themselves. This film shows an inspiring example of how it can be done. One thing that disappointed me: the film shows Carter's refusal to accept the casual use of the "n-word" among his African-American players. But the music in the closing credits includes a song with lyrics that go something like "watch my n****er run." I understand that this kind of language is an integral heart of much of hip-hop culture, but should it be? Should the Af-American community accept this, or should its elders try to explain to the young people why it's wrong? As Carter says, the use of that word among African-Americans makes non-blacks think it's okay to use that word too. I understand that the film is marketed to an audience that embraces hip-hop, but it sends a mixed message in this case and represents a triumph of commercialism over principle, which is disappointing in a film that is so focused on principle.

[Anonymous] gave it an8:
An MTV film that matters. Carter did great things for his players, and I'm glad those kids succeeded. Wish they won the last game (historical accuracy's a pain, isn't it). First half is getting organized, winning, and enjoying the spoils of victory. Second half, the boys are forced to see the big picture, and eventually go with carter.

Brian G. gave it a9:
Great movie. Keep in mind that it is based on real events. Touching to see that someone in the sporting world gives a damn about a good education and welfare of a poorly raised and dysfunctional generation of young adults.

Coach Carter Paramount Pictures

Coach Carter
Paramount Pictures