PRIDE
Inspiration and Excellence Amidst Racism and Rejection In Philadelphia
PopcornReel.com Movie Review: "Pride"
By Omar P.L. Moore/March 23, 2007
Terrence Howard (center) as
Philadelphia Department of Recreation coach Jim Ellis, flanked by his seminal
swimming team, in Sunu Gonera's "Pride", which opens today in North America.
(Photo: Saeed Adyani/Lionsgate)
"Pride" is an immaculate film inspired by the
true story of Philadelphia swimming coach Jim Ellis, who for the last 35 years
and counting has motivated kids and teens from around the city and the country
to become great swimmers. Many of the kids are disadvantaged, coming from
areas where poverty and pain are recurring elements of everyday life.
The film, which opens today in the U.S. and Canada and is released by Lionsgate,
had Mr. Ellis wondering, "why me?"
The modest man declares in the "Pride" production notes that many other coaches
in America had done similar things as he had. The answer to Mr. Ellis'
question however, is delivered by Zimbabwe's Sunu Gonera, who directs his very
first American feature film in "Pride". Mr. Gonera recently became a
citizen of South Africa, and he uses the heat of that country and the beat of
Philadelphia, its tension and temperament to accurately depict a city in decay
during the early 1970's. With the help of Motown and Philadelphia-based
Stax Records, the great soul sounds of the seventies are lovingly recreated in
"Pride", pulsing to life, representing the heartbeat of each of the characters.
Speaking of the characters, Jim Ellis is played by Terrence Howard, the
Oscar-nominee (for "Hustle & Flow"), from whom audiences in America have now
come to expect great acting each time he hits the big screen. Mr. Howard
does not let himself, the film, or the audience down as he gives another
stirring and touching account of a character who is flawed, but knows that he
will not be compromised. If dignity and righteousness form the core of
several of Mr. Howard's onscreen characters, empathy and emotion aren't far
around the corner in his portrayals. Mr. Howard has emerged as one of the
very best of America's best young actors, and has risen to that point in record
time.
In "Pride", Jim Ellis is looking for a job in the sweltering heat of
Philadelphia 1970. He carries with him the scars that racism has inflicted
upon him and looks to escape his own demons. By accident he happens across
a group of young teenagers whose school is falling apart. The basketball
court they play on is the only thing holding them together. Their
infrastructure is fragile, and when the court's basketball rims are removed,
what are kids from the city of brotherly love supposed to do?
Mac time: Bernie Mac as
Elston, in "Pride". Mr. Mac excels here, in the best dramatic performance
of his film career. (Photo: Saeed Adyani/Lionsgate)
Jim Ellis has an idea.
Elston is the school's superintendent who has been around that block called life
more than a few times. Cynical, skeptical and initially carrying a sneer
that fails to hide contempt, Elston resents Jim more than words can say.
The dislike that Elston possesses fills the rickety room that they first meet
in.
Together they form an unlikely bond and marshal the former basketball players to
harness their potential and channel it into a different sport. Obstacles
come and go but throughout the Philadelphia Department of Recreation's swimming
team, coach, and manager remain resolute. Tom Arnold plays a rival
swimming coach from another school within the state of Pennsylvania.
Though his character Bink is one of the meanest and racist s.o.b.'s around, one
actually chuckles in disbelief as Mr. Arnold appears if he has come into a
serious film like "Pride" from the set of one-too-many "Caddyshack" sequels.
His team of kids have come to play, and they don't play squeaky clean.
The film's cinematography (by Matthew F. Leonetti) does great justice to its
main participants. Unlike the vast majority of American films (where there
is a tendency to over-light black faces), the lighting of faces of a darker hue
is accurately done. [In a conversation with Mr. Gonera the director
addressed the question put to him about lighting the faces of black people in
film -- the story will be published tonight.] The beads of sweat ooze from
Mr. Howard's face. Water glistens from the bodies of the sleek,
well-toned, and muscular swimmers. The heat of a summer in Philadelphia
imprints its Pride, passion, persistence and acting splendor are on display.
Bernie Mac is to be commended for the best dramatic performance of his film
career. As Elston he never overacts. He shoulders the sorrows of
failures past. Though we don't know what those are, we sense that he has
been through a mountain's worth of ups and downs. Not about to surrender
to defeat, Elston has no time for nonsense. Through it all, Mr. Mac (who
recently announced that after the summer of this year he would retire from
stand-up comedy after 30 years) is brilliant, displaying a wary, gruff sense of
humor that makes Elston very palpable. The audience feels his every
emotion. Mr. Mac's acting is the best aspect of "Pride", which is
fearlessly directed by Mr. Gonera. Kimberly Elise is Sue Davis, a local
city council member who is also the older sister of one of the swimming team's
members. (The script tries to weave a hint of romance into the film, and
largely succeeds. In some films this attempt at love and affection would
seem tacked-on, with a patronizing effect, but in "Pride" it flows from the
natural progression of the film's events.)
Determination and "Pride": Terrence Howard as Jim Ellis,
and Bernie Mac as Elston, in "Pride", director Sunu Gonera's first American
film.
(Photo: Saeed Adyani/Lionsgate)
"Pride" may be a "sports movie" (which for some
audiences will be bad news) but it always energizes, compels and inspires,
showing that when a film is in the hands of someone capable (thankfully
Lionsgate trusted Mr. Gonera's vision) it becomes a film that stands tall and
proudly on its own, and not as a cliche.
"Pride" is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of
America for thematic material, language including some racial epithets, and
violence. Terrence Howard is one of the film's eight executive producers,
and Kevin Michael Smith & Michael Gozzard created the story for the film, which
they and three other screenwriters penned.
Copyright The Popcorn Reel. PopcornReel.com. 2007. All Rights
Reserved.