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Synopsis:
Based on a true-life story set in 1970s Philadelphia, PRIDE follows determined swimming coach Jim Ellis (Terrence Howard) as he as struggles to gain recognition and respect for his African-American team. Operating out of a recreational center in a rough part of Philly, Ellis's loose-knit group of teens face difficulties dealing with both criminal and racial issues, making it that much harder to keep them focused on swimming. When Ellis gets a chance to take on the swim team of a school that rejected him for a job, he sees a great opportunity for his kids to show their true mettle. Helmed by first-time feature-film director Sunu Gonera, PRIDE, like 2006's football-themed INVINCIBLE, is steeped in the look of '70s Philadelphia, but that aspect never seems forced, allowing the poignant story to shine through, thanks, in large part, to Howard's thoughtful, no-frills performance. While Bernie Mac is on hand to lend support, the comedian (and his considerable sideburns) never steals the show, and only enhances the movie's uplifting vibe, which is boosted further by an excellent Philly-soul soundtrack that prominently features the O'Jays. Although PRIDE isn't out to reinvent the sports-drama wheel, its attention to factual detail and its amiable, straightforward aesthetic make it an exemplary offering in the genre.
MORE INFORMATION
Screen Format: Color
Language: English
CRITIC REVIEWS
Lew Irwin
Kyle Smith's review in the New York Post of Pride, about black competitive swimmers in the '70s and their coach (Terrence Howard), is headlined "Diff'rent Strokes," which pretty well sums up the movie in two words. Most other critics use a few more words, but their reviews remain rather terse. Perhaps it's because they've all seen versions of the same movie before. As Jan Stuart writes in Newsday: "There comes a time in the career of every leading man when he is called upon to play a coach in an inspirational sports drama. Despite their true-life origins, these McSport movies have less in common with genuine athletic events than with jigsaw puzzles that have been cut into square, magnetized pieces that snap into place as soon as they drop out of the box." Similar words drop out of other critics' boxes. "The trouble with Pride is that it sticks so close to the sports-movie playbook that it never comes alive," comments Jason Anderson in the Toronto Globe and Mail. Nevertheless, Howard receives plenty of praise for his performance as Philadelphia swim coach Jim Ellis. Writes Glen Whipp in the Los Angeles Daily News: "Howard's work rescues a movie that, from what I can gather from interviews with Ellis, is a complete work of fiction." Or as Michael Phillips remarks in the Chicago Tribune: "Out of a foamy sea of inspirational-sports-film clichs, Terrence Howard pulls Pride to safety."
Lew Irwin
Kyle Smith's review in the New York Post of Pride, about black competitive swimmers in the '70s and their coach (Terrence Howard), is headlined "Diff'rent Strokes," which pretty well sums up the movie in two words. Most other critics use a few more words, but their reviews remain rather terse. Perhaps it's because they've all seen versions of the same movie before. As Jan Stuart writes in Newsday: "There comes a time in the career of every leading man when he is called upon to play a coach in an inspirational sports drama. Despite their true-life origins, these McSport movies have less in common with genuine athletic events than with jigsaw puzzles that have been cut into square, magnetized pieces that snap into place as soon as they drop out of the box." Similar words drop out of other critics' boxes. "The trouble with Pride is that it sticks so close to the sports-movie playbook that it never comes alive," comments Jason Anderson in the Toronto Globe and Mail. Nevertheless, Howard receives plenty of praise for his performance as Philadelphia swim coach Jim Ellis. Writes Glen Whipp in the Los Angeles Daily News: "Howard's work rescues a movie that, from what I can gather from interviews with Ellis, is a complete work of fiction." Or as Michael Phillips remarks in the Chicago Tribune: "Out of a foamy sea of inspirational-sports-film clichs, Terrence Howard pulls Pride to safety."
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System Requirements
- Windows Media Player 10
- Windows XP
- Internet Explorer 6.0
- High-Speed Internet (DSL or higher)
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