Denzel Washington plays coach Boone, a taskmaster sent to lily-white T.C. Williams High to usurp the leadership of a local favorite (Patton) with a very different coaching style. Battling their own pride and bigotry, the men develop a bond. They also shape the character of young athletes and unite a divided community.

Motivational speeches and virtuous behavior project an old-fashioned respect for discipline, integrity and Christian faith. Specifically, a coach stands up to corruption and makes a supreme personal sacrifice. A tragically injured player refuses to wallow in self-pity. Even minor characters experience growth. But most impressive of all is how Titans captures the passion of its subject matter without resorting to deeply offensive slurs or locker-room vulgarity.

According to incoming Walt Disney Studios chair Peter Schneider, Titans is proof positive of his commitment to families. "[Producer] Jerry Bruckheimer brought it to me and I said, ‘Take out all the swear words.’ In the script, every third word was the n-word, every fourth word was the f-word, and every sixth word was the s-word." All that remain are a few very mild profanities.