Coach Carter
Paramount Pictures | Release Date: January 14, 2005 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
57
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 36 Critic Reviews
Positive:
16
Mixed:
19
Negative:
1
Watch Now
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Buy on
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Expand

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
80
Washington PostSean Daly
This entry in a rather stale genre deserves to be put at the head of the class. Read full review
75
Chicago TribuneSid Smith
A true story, feel-good parable and a respectable, uplifting descendent of "To Sir, With Love" and "Lean On Me." Read full review
75
Philadelphia InquirerCarrie Rickey
It's fair to say that Coach Carter is more an education film than it is a sports movie. Read full review
75
New York Daily NewsElizabeth Weitzman
By turns funny, touching and genuinely inspiring. Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
Jackson has the usual big speeches assigned to all coaches in all sports movies, and delivers on them, big time. His passion makes familiar scenes feel new. Read full review
75
Miami HeraldConnie Ogle
Descended from a long and healthy line of high school-sports and academic-achievement films, a hip-hop "Hoosiers" bolstered by a generous helping of "Stand and Deliver" and "Lean On Me." Read full review
75
PremiereSara Brady
A sports flick that’s a worthy addition to the genre. Read full review
70
Film ThreatJames Wegg
Unfortunately, the accompanying story threads tend to bog down the action rather than provide contrast between the games. Read full review
70
VarietyRobert Koehler
Both an inspirational sports movie and an unexpected multi-level urban drama that plays by its own clock. Read full review
70
Washington PostDesson Thomson
Covers every cliche in the Hollywood sports movie playbook, but it also makes the routine much more enjoyable than you'd expect. Read full review
70
SalonStephanie Zacharek
Coach Carter, its flaws aside, is as interesting for what it doesn't do as for what it does. Read full review
70
New York Magazine (Vulture)Ken Tucker
Jackson's wonderfully nuanced, witty performance, and a few unexpected plot turns, give Coach Carter a subtext that helps complicate such knee-jerk oversimplifications, redeeming the role with energetic humor and a loose-limbed grace. Read full review
67
Seattle Post-IntelligencerWilliam Arnold
While the movie may border on teen exploitation in many scenes, its heart and values are mostly in the right place, and it qualifies its thrill of victory with a very sober message: few high school athletes become NBA millionaires, many are cheated out of an education. Read full review
63
Charlotte ObserverLawrence Toppman
Heartwarming drama. Read full review
63
Boston GlobeWesley Morris
Who's it for? How do you put this message across without it seeming medicinal? Sure, MTV is among the movie's producers, but what 11th grader wants to spend a Friday night being hit with such a blunt instrument? Read full review
63
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Rick Groen
When [Jackcson]'s not on camera, Coach Carter feels like the two-hour opus it is — too long, too banal, a bit ridiculous. But when he is, nothing else seems to matter, and how sublime is that. Read full review
60
The Hollywood ReporterMichael Rechtshaffen
Thanks mainly to his (Jackson) considerable presence, Coach Carter works more effectively than expected. Read full review
60
L.A. WeeklyErnest Hardy
The corniness and predictability feel, if not quite fresh, then not so groaningly stale. Read full review
60
The New York TimesDana Stevens
This may be the coach's story, but to the extent that Coach Carter is interesting rather than merely inspirational, it's because of the team. Read full review
60
Wall Street JournalJoe Morgenstern
A smart entertainment that trades on Mr. Jackson's forceful presence, a cast of extremely likable young actors and lots of basketball action.
60
TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonagh
Delivers its commendable message with affecting eloquence. Read full review
60
EmpireSimon Braund
It's a good story, well told. Read full review
58
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
Jackson, though, does lend this earnest formula flick a core of conviction. Read full review
50
The A.V. ClubNathan Rabin
Coach Carter eventually curdles into a grim love letter to discipline and accountability, which makes it the perfect sports film for W.'s second term, but not a whole lot of fun. Read full review
50
Dallas ObserverBill Gallo
Director Thomas Carter (no relation to Ken) relies on processed emotion and stock characters, and not even the inevitable Big Game excites us very much. Read full review
50
Christian Science MonitorDavid Sterritt
The movie's moral messages are all on target. Too bad the movie is much, much too long and Jackson gives one of his dullest performances ever. Read full review
50
Los Angeles TimesCarina Chocano
So, while the movie at times warmed my own middle-class, private school-educated cockles to a toasty complacency, there's an undercurrent of friendly fascism running through it like a nasty draft. Read full review
50
ReelViewsJames Berardinelli
The main problem with Coach Carter can be summed up simply: too much sermonizing. Read full review
50
USA TodayMike Clark
2-1/4 hours of MTV-produced tough love, with a dance break and pool party to relieve -- momentarily -- a series of motivational rants from lead Samuel L. Jackson. Read full review
50
Chicago ReaderJ.R. Jones
In the end I couldn't be sure whether its morality was complex or just confused. Like its young athletes, it earns a gentleman's C. Read full review
50
New York PostDebra Birnbaum
Predictable. Read full review
50
San Francisco ChronicleCarla Meyer
Features bursts of humor and electrifying energy offset by speechifying and a dud of a subplot. Read full review
50
Portland OregonianShawn Levy
As it goes on and on and on, Coach Carter becomes more patience-testing than soul-stirring, proving that you can overdose on good intentions as easily as you can on evil substances. Read full review
50
Village VoiceDavid Blaylock
Proudly wearing its self-righteousness like a letterman jacket, Coach Carter's just an exasperatingly long "The More You Know" commercial starring one first-stringer and the junior varsity. Read full review
40
Austin ChronicleMarrit Ingman
The script is really the heart of the problem. Read full review
38
Rolling StonePeter Travers
This afternoon-TV special trying to pass as a real movie earns an extra half star solely for Samuel L. Jackson, who brings his usual fire to the role. Read full review
More From This Movie

57 Critic Reviews

7.7 User Reviews

Details & Credits|Trailers

Current Movie Releases
By MetascoreBy User Score
1 81 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
2 77 Project Hail Mary
3 75 Send Help
4 73 Hoppers
5 72 The Sheep Detectives
SEE ALL
Essential Links
New on Amazon Prime Video
New on Netflix
Coming Soon to DVD/Blu-ray
SEE ALL