By Jae-Ha Kim
Amazon.com
March 23, 2007
A feel-good film set in 1970s Philadelphia, Pride offers hope and inspiration via athletic competition. But it’s not football or basketball that gives these urban youths self-esteem and pride: rather, it’s swimming. Never mind that (as Bernie Mac points out in the movie), “Brothers don’t swim.”
In this film–which is based on Jim Ellis’ real-life experiences coaching the swimmers at the Philadelphia Department of Recreation–Terrence Howard (Hustle & Flow) portrays Ellis as a quiet, earnest, and honest man who wants to give children the opportunities that were denied to him.
One of the few black competitive swimmers during that era, Ellis’ career ended in college thanks in part to racism. His greatest desire is to show that fortitude, strength, and character aren’t indicative of any color other than gold.
Some of the characters are painted in strokes so broad they almost become caricatures. Tom Arnold, as the coach for a well-to-do white team, is a taunting buffoon. Mac plays the rec center’s soap opera-loving custodian, who is doubtful that a team of scraggly boys–some of whom could barely swim–can beat a team of kids who’ve been swimming since they could walk.
At one point, Ellis says the world isn’t black and white, which is ironic since the film makes a point of distinguishing between the two races.
There are few surprises in this film that sets up a classic case of David vs. Goliath, but what makes the film stand out–besides a training sequence where basketballs are used to help train the young swimmers–is Howard’s charismatic portrayal of Ellis. He makes you believe that this soft-spoken coach could achieve the unthinkable of beating Goliath.
Whether or not he actually does is just icing on the cake.
