Couch Carter Movie Review ~~

Coach Carter is a 2005 American drama film starring Samuel L. Jackson. Directed by Thomas Carter, and released by Paramount Pictures. It is based on a true story, in which Richmond High School head basketball coach Ken Carter made headlines in 1999 for locking out his undefeated team due to their poor academic results.

Ken Carter, a successful businessman and former two-time All-American player and holder of numerous Richmond records has takes over the coaching jobs as the basketball coach at his former high school. Once he takes the job, he sets new rules for the players, insisting them to sign a contracts agreeing to meet his standards. In the contract, he wants all the players to attend all classes and sit on the front row, they have to maintain at 2.3 or above GPA and have to wear a tie on game days. Ken Carter also promises his players success as long as they played by his rules.

Of course, Carter’s unconventional coaching styles and rules had incurred questions and challenges from the players, parents, teachers and even school principal. For instance, one of the player of Richmond High School, Tim Cruz choose to leave the team as he refuse to accept all the rules and standards set up by Carter. Besides, even some of the player parents came to school to show their objection toward Carters coaching style. Moreover, the Richmond High School principal also felt his “extreme method “ were unreasonable because according the district standard, all the student athlete only have to achieve 2.0 GPA to get the qualification in joining sports whereas Carter request his player to gain 2.3 GPA. Although Carter had faced all kind of opposition but he still insists with his own fundamental.

After Carter a series of intensive and so called as “suicide” training, all the basketball player become more skillful and Carter leads the team to win their 1st tournament. The Richmond High School basketball team became undefeated in the season. Eventually, they had wins a holiday tournament. When the Richmond basketball team still enjoying their happiness, Carter discovered some of his players are not fulfill his academic requirement such as they do not attend the class as promised, and their GPA grades are lower than 2.3 also. Carter have decided to cancel all the basketball practice and games, lock up the gym and asked them to study at library. During the time, Richmond High School team was undefeated in the midst of season, their team have received the high attention from the nation. Suspending the team has made the headline across America.

Eventually, the school board carry out vote to decide whether to reopen the gym or not. Carter decides to quit the coaching job if the school not agreed with his coaching style if they intend to reopen the gym. Unluckily, the school board votes result came out and indicate that they more prefer the gym to reopen. After Carter know the result, he feel very disappointed and going leave the school. He notices the players are sitting at school desks in the gym, with teachers tutoring them. The players pointed out that even though the gym is reopened, the school board can't force them to play. Carter is heartened and decides to stay, thanking the players.

At the end of the movie and also the climax, Richmond team has qualified to get into the state high-school championship playoffs. The climactic game takes place in the tournament's first round against the 1st still feel very proud of them.

In my opinions, I think that Coach Carter is a movie full with educational and inspirational. At the beginning of the movie, the players in the team are undisciplined and attitude-laden, even worsen they have involved in some illegal and unmoral activities such as drugs transaction, teenage pregnancy, fighting, and gangster. In Richmond, six out of 10 male students end up jobless, while a whopping 80 percent wind up in jail. This phenomena roughly reflect on our society as the issues of teenager involve in crime are getting worsen. We should pay more effort in solving this problem just like Carter works hard in guide his team player on a correct path to avoid them from getting into any troubles or crime.

In addition, education becomes top priority for every player who hopes to play. In the movie, most of the Richmond basketball players only focus on the basketball games but abandon their academic. However, Carter does everything like imposes his player to sign the contract with condition to gain good grade in academic. Carter do work hard in ensure his player have a brighter future by let them further their study in college or university. Carter always believes that only high education able to give them a better life. By the end, Cruz, even thanks Carter for “saving my life.” When he has been awarded the full scholarship. Its giving us lesson that we should not just emphasis on either in sport or academic, we should make a balance on both of it. We should try to achieve something higher than average, not just satisfies with the present condition. For example, Carter wants his athlete to gain 2.3 in GPA which is higher than the standard of district asked for.

Moreover, teamwork and community are seen as cornerstones to improvement as well. In the movie, several touching moments show us the power of friendship and underscore the team approach to life. For example, when Tim Cruz want to join back into the team, he could not accomplish the task given by Carter, one of the teammate stand out and said that : “When one person struggles, we all struggle; when one person triumphs, we all triumph.” At one point, teammates help an ex-player fulfill his grueling requirements (2,500 pushups and 1,000 “suicides”) so he can rejoin the team. This event have show us the important of teamwork in a basketball team.
In a conclusion, I have to say that the movie Coach Carter is a meaningful and splendid movie, indeed. It gives us a lot of life lessons and motivation especially the philosophy always followed by Ken Carter: “Average is just not good enough. Period . ”