In telling the historic tale of Texas Western coach Don Haskins (an expert turn by Josh Lucas) and the first racially integrated NCAA basketball team (Derek Luke, Mehcad Brooks, Austin Nichols, Al Shearer, Schin A. S. Kerr) who broke new ground in the division and went on to win the national championship in 1966, the film focuses single-mindedly on the racial tensions Black players faced both on the team and in the division itself. This is a by the numbers, feel good film that feels a good amount of the time like a been there, seen that proposition. Despite an obvious sincerity for its subject and an appealingly low-key approach, Glory Road comes up a few buckets short in the development and detail of its characters.

Director James Gartner and company has infused the film with a sure-handed period integrity, charm and humor, but something at the core is amiss. We have no real rooting interest in the characters. There’s no Rudy Ruettiger here to cheer for. Once the team is assembled and the film’s set-up is established, Coach Haskins takes a jarring backseat in the story, knocking the wind out of the film. He has no demons to confront, no chip on his shoulder and nothing to prove--he’s just a good old boy and sometimes expert motivator to an unlikely band of brothers. Wife Mary (Emily Deschanel) is relegated to quiet support and their marriage barely registers even in the face of Haskins’ considerable obstacles. This would still work if any memorable characters stepped up to the plate in what becomes a rather rote game-to-game-to-finals travelogue. It’s a team effort all right to carry the film, with no clear character taking the narrative lead. Instead, Glory Road becomes an ensemble issue movie with lesser known actors (charismatic Derek Luke the exception) giving a few heartfelt turns enroute to a truly entertaining final third which finds Haskins starting all black players against all white University of Kentucky.

Glory Road doesn’t exist with the best sports films that thrust an unlikely protagonist upfront--Field of Dreams, The Natural, Bull Durham and Rudy come to mind--then redeem him through un unabashed passion against odds and love of the game. Furthermore, I’m not sure what, if any, good play coaching Haskins offers the team since they resist his instructions at every turn, failing to create any good offense to the point where he just throws up his hands and lets them play their own renegade style. Of course, they start winning at precisely that moment and Haskins just goes along for the ride. Along with the requisite discussions of teamwork, not giving up and integrity, there are some mildly entertaining courtside views of the re-created games, and Garter keeps the film moving at a brisk enough clip as to veil how little depth there might be.