Resolved

2007
7.1| 1h31m| PG-13| en| More Info
Released: 01 January 2007 Released
Producted By: HBO Documentary Films
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Info

The fascinating complexity of high school debate gives way to a portrait of the equally complex racial and class bias of American education in Greg Whiteley's riveting documentary.

Genre

Documentary

Watch Online

Resolved (2007) is now streaming with subscription on AMC+

Director

Greg Whiteley

Production Companies

HBO Documentary Films

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Resolved Audience Reviews

Cebalord Very best movie i ever watch
Lovesusti The Worst Film Ever
Abbigail Bush what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.
Juana what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.
Bob Fritz When most people think of a debate, they picture televised Presidential debates, which are glorified campaign ads tailored for the viewing audience. If that's your idea of a debate, you may be in for a shock if you watch "Resolved." The only thing that competitive high school and college debate have in common with a Presidential debate is that both involve speaking."Resolved" takes the viewer into the world of top-level high school debate, which is both fascinating and incoherent. Since a strategy called "the spread" came into vogue in the 1960s, debate has morphed into a rapid-fire contest to see who can make the most arguments and read the most pieces of evidence in a short time span. Competitive debate features the fastest speaking this side of a Federal Express commercial. Luckily for the viewer, many clips from the debates in "Resolved" come with subtitles."Resolved" follows two debate teams--one from a rich college prep school near Dallas and one from an inner-city school in Long Beach. Both do quite well on the national level, which is compelling in itself, but things become complicated when the team from Long Beach changes its strategy from the dry piling-on of evidence to arguments born of their personal experience. A resolution about the detaining of terrorism suspects becomes personal as they work their own issues with racism into their arguments.As a former college debater, "Resolved" brought back many memories, but it also made me think. While debate is a fun and educational scholastic activity, it is also weighted toward the rich and privileged. Just which students, after all, have the easiest access to the voluminous files of evidence necessary to succeed at debate's highest level? What does this say, not only about debate, but about education, and, in general, about American culture?
judeobscur This film was great because it brought back a lot of memories. It'd been so long that I'd forgotten how much work went into preparing for and attending the many many many tournaments. And it'd been ages since I'd heard someone talk about the "tab room." For folks who are not familiar with competitive debating, the type of debate featured (team debate) is not the only type. Alongside team debate at the same tournaments is Lincoln Douglas debate which involves individuals competing against each other in a far more eloquent manner. No speed reading. No trying to "out flow" the other person. I found Lincoln Douglas debate to be invaluable training for the real world.For parents who see the film, I hope you encourage your kids to try debate. It can be the high pressure competition shown in the film, but it can also be about fun, friendships, and gaining confidence. Most importantly...stay involved! These schools and students need parents to help transport kids to tournaments and to judge competition rounds.
chillzkid Richard and Louis were awesome! A must watch movie if you are a documentary fan.Debates should be about meaning not words!Thought the social message of the movie was great, and every educator and school should watch this documentary.It made me feel ashamed of the establishment. Also I cannot believe people actually do the meaningless speed talking.Maybe they should stretch the time period beyond 3minutes if kids have to talk that fast.Feels like an auction house.Debates should be about Meaning. And outsmarting your opponent, not just about out talking them.
jrwcal2001 I am stunned at the comment about this movie posted by Jim Crotty. Has he even seen this film? I have and I can say it is pure genius . . . not even close to the knock-off that Crotty makes it out to be. Whiteley earned his street cred with the thoroughly original New York Doll (Sundance) and has outdone himself with his latest documentary, which has received glowing reviews (Variety, the Hollywood Reporter and Cinema Without Borders to name a few).In Resolved, Whiteley uses high school debate—a world that is fascinating in its own right—as a vehicle to explore the equally fascinating lives of a handful of kids who participate in debate. The struggles (with life in general and with the debate community) of two inner city debaters from Long Beach Jordan High School are the heart of the film. Has Crotty even met these kids? If he claims that Whiteley stole his idea to follow these two kids, then he might have a point but his posting seems to suggest that he thinks he has a monopoly on documentaries about inner-city kids that debate, which is a truly audacious claim.It does seem coincidental that Whiteley also named his pic Resolved but, as a former debater, this shouldn't surprise anyone since, as I recall, the first word spoken in every high school debate round is "Resolved." There is so much more to Whiteley's film than the name. If Crotty has a great film about debate in the works, I would love to see it and am not terribly concerned about what he calls it. As for Whiteley's film, it is as gripping and authentic as they come.Perhaps we can get Whiteley to chime in on how he arrived at the name?