Remember The Titans.

“When something unexpected comes you just gotta pick it up and run with it.”

I’m a sucker for sports movies, where the underdog wins the day or anything on the changing side of history. There is something so transcending about sports that can make people come together

T.C. Williams, a high school in Alexandria Virginia is integrated in 1971 and as the time would have it, it is a hot bed of strong protests against integration. Their saving grace lies in their football team who have to, essentially put aside their feelings of pride and prejudice, in a manner of speaking, against each other, and come together to make a winning team. Deputy Caucasian Football coach, the much loved, Bill Yoast, played by Will Paton, has to play second fiddle to the newly appointed African-American Head-coach Herman Boone played by Denzel Washington. This does not go down well with anyone in the town and the relationship between the men for the most part is testy but for the sake of winning they make it work when they have to.

This is a simple enough yet powerful story with a lot of heart and all the cliches; everyone who is against the other comes together and it helps the town on the road to healing and acceptance, to see the soul of man instead of the colour of his skin. Victory on the football field and tragedy off it, helps turn the tide in a town so torn apart. Ultimately, this is an inspirational story that forces people together  whilst surrounded by all the rampant hate and aggression; segregation, race riots, racial tension…within and without the school.

And in the midst of tragedy the town must pull together for the sake of victory on and off the field.