Remember the Titans is, without a doubt, one of the best football movies ever made.
The movie was released by Disney in 2000, and has stuck with my ever since then. To me, it’s not only an iconic football movie, but a classic movie in general. That’s why I’m always shocked when I meet yet another person who hasn’t seen it.
Remember the Titans has all of the required ingredients for the “great football movie” recipe. The camaraderie between the players is tangible, the relationships between the coaches and the players are heartwarming, and there’s just enough of an underdog story to keep you clutching your seat until that final halftime speech.
Right from game one, the stakes are higher than usual for this kind of movie. Not only are the Titans largely expected to fail, being the only integrated school in the league, but it’s made clear to Coach Boone that the first sign of trouble, meaning a loss, will result in his immediate dismissal.
There’s much more on the line in Remember the Titans than an All-American boy’s football scholarship. A man’s career and livelihood, along with the region’s perspective on integration, are the true trophies to be won or lost. Those issues are the real backbone of the film, and that story begins long before the Titans ever step foot on the football field.
Nobody’s quite sure how to deal with the newly racially integrated school, but with Coach Boone at the helm, they figure it out relatively quickly. Boone, flawlessly played by the incomparable Denzel Washington, is no stranger to being disrespected because of his race. In spite of that, he immediately takes control of the players, the other coaches, and the town.
Some of the best moments in Remember the Titans come from Coach Boone’s unique coaching style. First, he hilariously takes on Petey for daring to have “fun,” then he shows Gerry who his “daddy” is, and tops it all off by fabricating a story about having 12 brothers and sisters to inspire Ronnie Bass. His deadpan delivery will keep you laughing throughout the entire movie.
The integration story has two phases in Remember the Titans. First, we got to watch the team come together at camp. Inspired by Coach Boone’s Gettysburg speech and led by the incredible duo of Gerry Bertier and Julius Campbell, friendship quickly overtook any self-imposed segregation that lingered. Over the course of two weeks, the boys went from strangers to family.
When they came back home and the rest of the town, who didn’t have a football-filled-love-fest to connect them to their new neighbors, wasn’t down with their friendship, phase two began. The boys became leaders in both the school and the town, but they also had to learn the hard way that there’s just no getting through to some people.
The movie boasts an incredibly strong cast of characters. You don’t simply follow the quarterback on his quest to win the girl and the coveted spot on the college football team in Remember the Titans. You go on a journey with so many of the players, the coaches, and even their families.
Worth the watch alone is Sheryl Yoast. Played by a young Hayden Panettiere, Coach Yoast’s daughter beautifully embodies the essence of the film. She adores football, protects her father fiercely, and sees no color in her desire to advance the Titans to the top. She’s sassy, hilarious, and warmhearted, and one of the best characters in the movie. She’s made even better in contrast with Coach Boone’s daughter. The girls are completely different, but are both so unapologetically themselves, which somehow leads to friendship.
The blossoming friendship between Gerry Bertier and Julius Campbell is at the focal point of Remember the Titans, and for good reason. Both men are stubborn, but kind, and their friendship brings out the best in each other. Together, their leadership is a key element in the success of the team.
Equally impactful, though far from a direct parallel to the Gerry/Julius friendship, is the growing dynamic between Coach Yoast and Coach Boone. They both have families and careers on the line, so they’re not so quick to buddy up, but they show each other a level of support and respect that shows itself beautifully at different points in Remember the Titans. They always work together to make the team the best it can be.
Supporting characters that are equally important are Alan Bosley (played by baby Ryan Gosling!), Ronnie Bass, Petey Jones, Jerry ‘Rev’ Harris, and Louis Lastik. In Remember the Titans, these characters don’t simply exist to pass a ball to the star of the team. They each have a distinct character arc with emotional payoff.
The soundtrack, including many hits from the Temptations, is one of many highlights of the movie. Whether the songs are relegated to the background, or being belted out in the locker room by the entire team (except stupid Ray), they take on a life of their own in Remember the Titans. There ain’t no mountain high enough to keep the Titans from winning the title!
Remember the Titans is book ended by a funeral, but it doesn’t define the movie. Lest I spoil too much, I won’t get into what happens. I will say, that instead of bringing the movie down, this plot point lends itself to showing how far the teams has come as players, coaches, and friends. It’s more hopeful than harrowing.
On top of all of that, Remember the Titans is made even better by the fact that it’s based on a true story. The end credits highlight the achievements of the real people that these characters are based on, and it’s a heartwarming conclusion to an extraordinary movie and story.
If you haven’t seen Remember the Titans, I highly suggest you do so immediately! If you have seen it, please gush about it in the comments with me.