It's worth watching. Really good performance by actors, good music and incredible story makes this movie an excellent material.

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.

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.… Expand

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.

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.… Expand

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.

An extremely good movie great message. and whoever said it was bad shouldnt be criticising this film because they have very bad taste in film. a must go see.

I find it interesting that "Brian" was so effected by this movie that he was led to waste a good portion of his time writing such a long review of it. I was blessed enough to coach several teams made up of kids in situations just like and occasionally far worse than in the movie. We told our kids year after year, that very little in life is handed to anyone (even rich white kids, mind you) and that you can use society as an excuse, or you can participate in it, you can fight it, or you can work ten times harder, and be a hundred times better off because you refused to let society define who you are or who you were going to be. And sadly, while a staggering number of their peirs wound up doing nothing with their lives... or far worse, most of the kids we coached grew up to be impressive young men of character and dignity, no matter what they did after they were done winning championships. Coach Carter wasn't the best sports movie I've seen lately, but it shows some of the good things that can come out of sportsinstead of the ego and greed so prevelant nowadays, and for that I'm thankful.… Expand

Wow, what a clueless film. What a skewd logic. Here are some examples of the heavy-handed doubles standards morality of Coach Carter. BAD: Failing classes, skipping class, mouthing off to your coach, showing off your gun when you should be protecting your drug dealer, and being white. GOOD: Wearing expensive clothes when you don't even have money for a tie, teachers beating up students, secret teen abortions (not saying I'm against them, it's just that this film has no idea how to handle such a tough topic), scaring your friends with your gun when you should be protecting your drug dealer friend, and being Samuel L. Jackson. This film was either directed by someone who has never been to any 'ghetto' or by someone who never left it. Sure the film preaches a get of school, in to college, and off the street message; but with its nice clothes, made for basic cable 'realism', and a fresh R&B score the film paints the picture that ghetto ain't so bad while your there. In fact, if your not white, not related to Samuel L. Jackson, and have a baby, the ghetto just might bbe a fun place to stop by and hang out. The film bashes you over the head with the idea that "If your a male in the ghetto, you go to prision. If you are a female, you will be knocked-up", yet at no point paints a picture as to why this is (because really looking back and seeing that slavery, the government's stictly war motivated termination of it, and the overall aggression that black people have repeatedly been faced with in this country are to blame - but I guess that would put on damper on the whole film wouldn't it? Not what main stream audiences want in there strait-to-video-isc coach movies). In fact, the only thing that the film blames for the ecnomic, criminal, and socail breakdown of the inner city are other black people. I found this device extremely racist (as is the scene when they go out of town, to play 'the white team' - and of course they're all racists). When watching this movie, I was able to think of one other story - The New Testament. Sam Jackson is the jesus who comes to lift everyone what up from poverty and lechery and adultury, Why? Because, as the film shows, black people are too busy having sex, doing drugs, and just being loud to know what the f**k is going on. This film went beyond just being bad and became offensive. I thought I would never say this, but Hardball was a better movie. If you want to see a good movie a hard-edged coach see Miracle. If you want to see a good movie about the down-fall of sports obsession see Friday Night Lights. And if you want see a good movie about struggling to get out of the 'ghetto' see Boys in the Hood (hell, it even has Samuel L. Jackson). If you see one movie this summer - more correctly, if your walking through you suburban Blockbuster and see this DVD on the wall and think "Hey, gritty box art! Sam Jackson! MTV Films! Directed by guy who did Save The Last Dance! This will be a real treat!" - don't see this film. After this and Twisted, I don't know if I can trust Sam Jackson (or his agent).… Expand

How the heck would you give that movie a 57, it was moving, and one of the best movies ive ever seen, and i don't care what yall think, Coach Cater was great.

This is probly the best sports movie I've ever seen, in my opinion its way better than friday night lights. The basketball in the movie acually looks good because they got real players, and samuel l jackson did amazing and should win an award. It's everything, action. comedy, romance.

LOL Jeff, you suggested Sideways as a "real" movie? Well I guess if you love movies that have no plot and carry on forever it is perfect for you. As for Coach Carter, it was allright-not great, but not bad either.

I love this movie sososososos much i thought it had a GREAT message and for all those who said it was boring DON'T LISTEN TO THEM!!!

Not a totally bad movie, this is actually really decent, and Samuel L. Jackson is once again great.

A movie where at first came a bit short but turned out being very powerful.

An interestin... excitin... cool n heart-warmin movieee... it's a must watch!!! dun miss it out.

Fantastic movie a must-see.

This was nothing but Harball just about Basketball. It was very Stereotypical, you could tell that someone was going to die, you could tell that the team was going to "turn around", it bored me to tears. And to Max, who called it the "Greatest movie ever" try watching a real movie, may I suggest Sideways?

Greatest movie ever.

Amazing movie!!

This is the Best movie I have seen in years ! Way underated. Samuel Jackson was fantastic.

"Coach Carter" is hampered by the presence of Ashanti because the more alluring storyline, the guard who needs basketball to keep him from drug-trafficking, is given less time than a painful-to-watch teen pregnancy plot. "Coach Carter" has a great story, but study hall isn't very cinematic. Samuel L. Jackson, however, makes this film worthwhile.

Is Samuel L. Jackson the greatest American actor currently working? Maybe so, maybe not, but I invariably can't wait to see anything he's in. (Yes, even Formula 51.) He never seems to be at a loss for employment, but unlike fellow workhorses Ben Stiller and Jude Law, his crap quotient is admirably pretty low (Formula 51 notwithstanding). Coach Carter, in which Jackson plays the real-life high school basketball coach Ken Carter, who believed that scholastic achievement always trumps athletic victory, is undeniably hokey and shopworn in spots, but then it doesn't have to be High Art: all that director Thomas Carter needs are at least a dozen scenes in which Jackson gives Big, Impassioned Speeches to his team, his critics and the principal in which he alternately makes like Jack webb in The D.I., Lou Gossett Jr. in An Officer and a Gentleman, Pat O'Brien in Knute Rockne, All American and Gene Hackman in Hoosiers, and the result is two hours-plus of pure moviegoing pleasure. Jackson endlessly sentencing rebellious players to triple-digit pushups and "suicides", or comparing key plays and stategies to real or fictional women he grew up with may not exactly line up to his famous "Ezekiel speech" in Pulp Fiction, but Jackson, bless his heart, plays everything as though it does. Director Carter, who previously made the surprisingly enjoyable urban romance Save the Last Dance, even thoughtfully provides the audience with several popcorn/bathroom/video game breaks: namely, any scene in which Jackson DOESN'T appear (especially the trite, TV movie-like teen pregnancy subplot that seems inserted mainly to give r&b star Ashanti a big movie break). Flaws aside, I have to give this movie its props for standing for all the right things: that long-term rewards beat short-term successes; that everybody is worthy and deserving of being treated with dignity and respect, and that "the N-word" has no place in ANYBODY'S vocabulary. If the Oklahoma football coach played by Billy Bob Thornton in the brilliantly made but overwhelmingly bleak and depressing Friday Night Lights had operated the same principles (or believed them), that film would have run all of about five minutes (mainly because the town would've lynched him!) Obviously, the film buff in me recognizes Friday Night Lights as a far more original, imaginatively conceived and directed effort than Coach Carter, but the human being and idealist in me vastly prefers the latter. Not that this is usually done in sports, but let's declare it a tie score and go home.… Expand

I loved this movie! It was a great story and had a very good message. I also love Channing Tatum!

This is the best movie that I saw in a long time, the characters were not stereotypical and for everyone to be soo young, the acting was WONDERFUL!

This is the best movie ever! truly inspirational.

I thought the movie was outstanding. I felt that it hit the nail on the head concerning some athletes, and their education process. Which should come first? I say education!

Great Sports Movie. Players who could actually play were the actors in this film. Very enjoyable.

Truly inspirational....and all of the guys are so cute! defnitely what my brother needs to watch.

10 is a perfect and I haven't seen yet. 9 is absolutely amazing and that's what this film and story was. Sam Jackson did an excellent job portraying Ken Carter and there wasn't a poor acting job in the movie. Beauitful movie that opens your eyes. If you haven't seen it, do yourself a favor and watch it, and LEARN from it.

It was a good movie and rick gonzalez is a good and sexy actor!

Coach Carter may be afraid of what could happen to his students if they don't get a good education, but he certainly isn't afraid of fully embracing every inspirational-sports-movie-cliche in the book. Through a series of grueling montages and broad character strokes, Carter and his team overcome all obstacles. Though I respect the movie's willingness to wear its ideals firmly on its sleeve and not be subtle AT ALL about what it's preaching, it's hard to overlook the faults. The script presents Carter as an all-knowing-oracle, who is never wrong and never doubts himself. In one sequence where the kids sneak off to a late night party, we feel more for them and their desire to have fun then we do Carter, though the movie puts us squarlely on his side. He never doubts himself, never has feelings or thoughts besides external ones, never seems to think he may be doing something wrong. So despite some good acting from Jackson (who is fine in everything he touches) and convincing turns from the players (especially Ashanti, who is actually a good actress), Carter is very dissapointing to say the least. Also, at 136 min it's a tad too long and drags a bit towards the end.… Expand

One of the years best. Based on a true story. What our schools need is NOT more money, but more teachers like Coach Carter.

It was awesome!!!