[Film Review] The Great Debaters

“The time for justice is always – is always – right now!”

This rousing statement, delivered with absolute vehemence by Samantha Booke (played by Jurnee Smollett) of the inspirational Wiley College debate team of the 1930’s, embodies one of the main idea’s director Denzel Washington desires to have linger in the minds of audiences after seeing his latest film ‘The Great Debaters’. Here we are in 2008 - some 78 years after Wiley College defied the barriers of racial discrimination and class stature and became the first African American college to debate against an Anglo-Saxon college - yet have we continued to grow as a liberal society?

The terrorist attacks on September 11th 2001 forever changed our world. Initially, America became the victim for the first time since the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour in 1941. Then, echoing the response to the Japanese attack, the American war machine was thrust into full throttle and quite quickly America became the assailant again. Casting aside the myriad of other issues created as a result of these events, and focusing on just one, what essentially changed was the focus on America’s domestic policy to a focus on America’s foreign policy. The ramifications of this, from a personal point of view, were that last week I found myself in a cinema asking the question of “how relevant is the issue of race-relations in America these days?” Sedated by constant ‘terror’ newspaper headlines, ‘The Great Debaters’ charged me back to consciousness and got me thinking about America’s domestic policy once again.

As I type this, the people of America are celebrating the annual public holiday dedicated to the spirit of African American civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr, who was assassinated in 1968. Former President Ronald Reagan enacted the holiday into law in 1983, and it was first observed in 1986. After many years of resistance, all 50 states finally observed it in 2000. The 3 sentences you just read pretty much mirror America’s progression in race-relation issues: up and down, but moving steadily down the right path. One of the American’s celebrating is Barack Obama. Barack Obama, an African American politician, is doubly celebrating, as he was just victorious at the caucus in Iowa – one of the whitest states in the country. He is now a serious contender to represent the Democrats in 2009’s national election, and quite possibly become the USA’s first African American president. This is fantastic news for advocates of social justice, and Obama is a great role model for other African American’s who are in a position to climb the ranks of the socio-economic ladder.

What then, for those not in such advantaged positions? Who are the role models for the working class African Americans; those not fortunate enough to be in a position to attend college? While on the campaign trail, Obama spoke with rapper/musicians Jay Z and Kanye West about using hip hop as a positive power if he gets elected as president. Reporting back on the encounter, Obama, very aware that hip hop is a prime source of role models for many disadvantaged African American’s, expressed “concern that they’re always talking about material things; how I can get more money, more cars.” This dire observation encapsulates the other key idea Denzel Washington wishes to convey to audiences of ‘The Great Debaters’: the fundamental importance of education, and crucially, the necessity for across the board access to education.

After showing early promise with his 2002 directorial debut, ‘Antwone Fisher’, Denzel Washington has really stepped up to the plate with his follow-up, and is right at home creating the vision for his cast and crew to deliver the figurative home run. Both thematically, and technically, ‘The Great Debaters’ is an outstanding film – and that’s an opinion I’m willing to debate with anyone and everyone!


The Great Debaters has not yet been released in Australia, keep an eye out for it!