Coach Carter

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2:23

Coach Carter

PG-13

2005

2h 16m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

63%

Tomatometer

146 Reviews

85%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

In 1999, Ken Carter (Samuel L. Jackson) returns to his old high school in Richmond, California, to get the basketball team into shape. With tough rules and academic discipline, he succeeds in setting the players on a winning streak. But when their grades start to suffer, Carter locks them out of the gym and shuts down their championship season. When he is criticized by the players and their parents, he sticks to his guns, determined that they excel in class as well as on the court.

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Critics Consensus

Even though it's based on a true story, Coach Carter is pretty formulaic stuff, but it's effective and energetic, thanks to a strong central performance from Samuel L. Jackson.

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Engaging film with a terrific message.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 22, 2010

Full Review

J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

This is supposed to be about setting high standards, yet it's full of fudged ultimatums; in the end I couldn't be sure whether its morality was complex or just confused.

Mar 25, 2008

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Nathan Rabin

AV Club

Samuel L. Jackson shouts, yells, bellows, and screams his way through the fact-inspired film

Oct 6, 2006

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...a decent-enough inspirational sports drama...

Rated: 2.5/4

Feb 18, 2023

Full Review

Eddie Harrison

The List

Despite the attraction of fluently filmed basketball sequences, director Thomas Carter's simplistic approach to the social and educational issues involved makes this vacuous MTV-produced movie fall well short of the basket.

Rated: 2/5

Apr 23, 2019

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Leigh Paatsch

Herald Sun (Australia)

A quality sports drama.

Rated: 3/5

Sep 27, 2018

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Kacper S

Not really my type of movie, but I really enjoyed this film. Samuel L. Jackson's performance was amazing.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/12/25

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Jelisije J

Based on a true story of a coach who went beyond the call of duty to make sure that his team worked well on the court and off the court.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/03/25

Full Review

Brayden G

Okay movie

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

10/26/25

Full Review

Osamah S

excellent for a sports drama, but not a standard for a moral message

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/14/25

Full Review

Garrett M

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. our deepest is that we are powerful beyond measure

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/01/25

Full Review

Oaklee D

I hate sports films but enjoyed this way more than I thought I would. Samuel L Jacksons performance is a real highlight , this film is worth watching at least once.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/13/25

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Thomas Carter

Director

Samuel L. Jackson

Coach Ken Carter

Robert Ri'chard

Damien Carter

Rob Brown

Kenyon Stone

Ashanti

Kyra

Debbi Morgan

Tonya

Coach Carter: Official Clip - The Final Shot

1:55

Coach Carter: Official Clip - Push-Ups and Suicides

2:07

Coach Carter: Official Clip - Richmond vs. Bay Hill

2:04

Coach Carter: Official Clip - Not Your Storybook Ending

2:13

Coach Carter: Official Clip - Timeout Pep Talk

1:56

Coach Carter: Official Clip - Come-from-Behind Win

2:11

Coach Carter: Official Clip - Our Deepest Fear

1:59

Coach Carter: Official Clip - First Practice

2:12

Coach Carter: Official Clip - A Better Life

2:09

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Coach Carter: Trailer 1

2:23

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Synopsis

In 1999, Ken Carter (Samuel L. Jackson) returns to his old high school in Richmond, California, to get the basketball team into shape. With tough rules and academic discipline, he succeeds in setting the players on a winning streak. But when their grades start to suffer, Carter locks them out of the gym and shuts down their championship season. When he is criticized by the players and their parents, he sticks to his guns, determined that they excel in class as well as on the court.

Director: Thomas Carter
Producer: Brian Robbins, Michael Tollin
Screenwriter: Mark Schwahn
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: MTV Films, Tollin/Robbins Productions
Rating: PG-13 (Sexual Content|Language|Some Drug Material|Teen Partying|Violence)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 14, 2005, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 15, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $67.3M
Runtime: 2h 16m
Sound Mix: Dolby SRD, DTS, Surround
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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