Pride (2007 film)

Plot

It is 1974 and life is not easy for a black male to find employment, even college-educated Jim Ellis (Terrence Howard). While struggling to find anything better, Jim, a former competitive swimmer, is working on the decrepit Marcus Foster Recreation Center operated by the Philadelphia Department of Recreation. The center includes a dilapidated swimming pool, which Ellis rehabilitates. Ellis's presence and activities cause friction with a bitter, overprotective janitor named Elston (Bernie Mac). One day, Jim invites a group of black teens who have just been thrown off the basketball court in the Center's yard in for a swim. Andre (Kevin Phillips), Hakim (Nate Parker), Reggie (Evan Ross), Puddin’ Head (Brandon Fobbs), and Walt (Alphonso McAuley) prove to be fairly capable swimmers and with a few pointers, could become great swimmers. With some help from Elston, Jim decides to try to save the swimming pool by starting the city's first all African-American swim team, the P.D.R. team (Pride, Determination, Resilience). When the team acquires Willie (Regine Nehy), a female swimmer more talented than any of the boys, the prospects of competing against much more experienced white teams begin to improve. Jim also develops a romantic interest in a beautiful city councilor (Kimberly Elise), Hakim's sister and guardian. Throughout their struggles in and out of the swimming pool, Jim and Elston encourage and mentor the kids, helping them not only to become successful at swimming but also in their struggles against prejudice, crime, and poverty.

Cast

Critical response

Pride was met with mixed reviews from critics, with a 45% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 108 reviews. The film, however, scored a 72% approval rating from audience members. The New York Times critic Matt Zoller Seitz noted that the movie "illustrates the adaptability and limitations of the sports movie," but concluded that when the film's idealists glide through the water amidst the tunes of the time, "the heart still leaps." Comedian Bill Burr spoofed and criticized the film as an example of overindulgence in white-on-black racism in movies with increasingly obsolete topics.