Pride DVD Review

by Kam Williams

Terrence Howard Vehicle as Real-Life Role Model Out on DVD

When Jim Ellis (Terrence Howard) arrived in Philadelphia in the summer of 1971, it was with high hopes of landing a teaching position. Instead, the only employment the recent college grad could find was a dead-end job closing down a rundown recreation center located in a disadvantaged area of North Philly.

But after discovering that the gymnasium had a swimming pool, instead of preparing the dilapidated facility for the wrecking ball, Jim decided to try to renovate it. For, he knew that if he carried out his original assignment, the neighborhood kids would be losing their only local outlet for constructive, supervised exercise.

As a former competitive swimmer on the university level, Jim figured he had some worthwhile advice to share with the rudderless boys just hanging out on the sweltering, rimless basketball court. So, rather than allow them to get into trouble on the streets, he invited them inside for a chance to cool off in the pool. Then, he put them on a serious training regimen in order to turn them into a team capable of holding their own against the best swim clubs in the area.

In the end, Ellis not only succeeded in his efforts, and the program he created has continued to flourish for the past 35 years, providing a healthy environment for aspiring young athletes in the inner city. This admirable achievement is the subject of Pride, a bio-pic based on the exploits of a real-life role model.

Unfortunately, the movie is seriously flawed in several respects, starting with its gratuitous use of the N-word. Another annoying aspect of the production is its indulgence in homophobic humor, referring to gays as "fruitcakes" and "Captain Panties" while generally intimating that it is not a safe thing to be a homosexual in the black community.

Otherwise, Pride unfolds in fairly formulaic fashion for a sports flick, with Terrence Howard turning in one of his typically captivating performances as the charismatic coach. An afroed Bernie Mac is almost as memorable as a marble-mouthed janitor/assistant coach/buddy/political lobbyist/matchmaker. And Kimberly Elise co-stars as hoop earringed Sue Davis, another combination character who is conveniently a love interest, a city councilman, and a child advocate all rolled into one.

Though well-intentioned, Pride, regrettably, doesn't show enough brotherly love for anyone to be proud of it.

Fair (1 star)
Rated PG for mature themes, violence, profanity and ethnic slurs.
Running time: 109 minutes
Studio: Lions Gate Home Entertainment
DVD Extras: Deleted scenes, alternate scenes, extended scenes, director's audio commentary, clips and highlights of music montages.

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