Drumline (2002)

Talent can get you noticed, but discipline and teamwork are what make you great. Charles Stone III's "Drumline" will change the way you see halftime shows forever. This formulaic but surprisingly captivating film celebrates the precision of the marching bands at historically Black colleges, those high-stepping squads of disciplined horn players, drummers and dancers who turn halftime into a dazzling, high-energy spectacle. Nick Cannon stars as Devon Miles, a cocky street drummer from Harlem who earns a scholarship to fictional Atlanta A&T University. He can't read music, having fudged it on his application, and his swagger rubs everyone the wrong way, but he's the most gifted natural drummer the school has ever seen, and he quickly climbs the ranks of the drum line, clashing with its proud section leader (Leonard Roberts). Along the way, Devon falls for Laila (Zoe Saldana, smart and charming), an upperclassman dancer with the band, and butts heads with the band's old-school director (Orlando Jones), who's fighting to keep his emphasis on musicianship as the college president pushes for flashier crowd-pleasers. It all builds to well-earned redemption at a big championship showdown between rival bands. There are no surprises, but the chemistry is terrific, and it's a fantastic, positive showcase for a musical tradition that has evolved far beyond small-town Main Street parades.