MovieChat Forums > Pride (2007) Discussion > i'm black...i hated this film...but for ...

i'm black...i hated this film...but for reasons other than race

posted 16 years ago by Frozilla_Firefox
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I think the director did a horrible job of putting this film together. Terrance Howard was good as usual. I love Kimberley Elise too. The problem i had with this film was that it seemed so contrived and hurried. They went from the basketball court to the swimming pool so quickly in the film. I needed a little more background and insight on the characters. The one who played the girl on the team, all she did was smile throughout the film and barely had any lines. Watch it again, and you'll see!! Get a good laugh! It was annoying! Speaking of annoying....Bernie Mac and Tom Arnold....just bad!! The movie wasn't inspiring enough for me, even with the African music in the end!!What was that about?? Was it supposed to make the movie " blacker"????... I don't know. It just didn't seem to fit. Good true story......Bad, lazy directing!! Give me "Rudy" or "Remember the Titans" any day!!

[–] Aquajock 16 years ago

As a former African-American swimmer & swim coach, I feel that I am well qualified to say that this movie totally missed the mark. There were so many inaccuracies about the sport of swimming in this movie, that I couldn't even keep count. Then there is the whole racism issue. Let me just say that as a black kid in the sport,I experienced just as much racism from black people as I did from white people. All ever heard was "swimming is a white boy sport" and "black people don't swim fool!" I'm sure the other kids on playground would have been constantly ripping on those boys for "selling out" and swimming instead of balling, but they didn't address that issue. Sometimes black people treat each other worse than racist white people.

This movie was based on true events, which means that a lot of the story was embellished. Having been involved in the sport for almost twenty years, I know how hard it is to train a competitive swimmer. By that reckoning, I have a very hard time believing that this guy took a handful of kids who could barely swim (one being a girl) and over the course of a couple of months trained them to win a National Championship against kids who have been swimming their entire lives. I have never even heard of this story before and while I'm sure that the team experienced a great deal of success, I just don't buy the way this movie played out.

[–] Frozilla_Firefox 16 years ago

I agree with everything you said. I was wondering how other people felt about this film. I honestly don't know much about the sport of swimming. I was really interested in seeing this film and when i finally did , i was really disappointed. The movie was poorly done. I'm sure there was alot more to it in real life than what was portrayed in the movie. Sometimes, i feel that black people stereotype each other, like we're only supposed to act a certain way. Why does swimming have to be a "white boy sport"? Stuff like that bothers me.
That's really cool that you were a swimmer! My Aunt was a swimmer too back in the day. Thanks for the feedback!

[–] Aquajock 16 years ago

Thanks, DEE DEE

Yeah I was excited about this movie too. I thought for sure that I would want to own it on DVD, but no thanks. I thought the plot was shallow and unrealistic, and anyone black or white who knows anything about swimming would notice the technical mistakes right away. Oh well, that's Hollywood for you.

[–] jeniece1978 16 years ago

While I hear what you're all saying and I understand your points of view, I would like to clarify that the basis of the movie is indeed true. Jim Ellis did in fact train those neighborhood kids to compete in swimming, which actually led to the city keeping the rec center open instead of closing it.

unfortunately, this is one of those cases where the editing was badly done because it did rush the movie and too many pivotal scenes were not included.

[–] Aquajock 16 years ago

We didn't question the basis of the movie, only the way it was portrayed.

[–] poincar6 16 years ago

I have been a mathematics teacher most of my adult life. This movie reminded me of "Stand and Deliver" in this way--a wonderful true story becomes a so so movie. I still remember walking into the theater to watch "Stand and Deliver" wanting and expecting to love the movie, but I didn't because the movie itself, and the second half in particular, just wasn't that good. I just watched "Pride" for the first time with similar expectations which were unmet. Like in "Stand and Deliver" the second half of "Pride" has several scenes which ring untrue and weaken the movie.

[–] madmaxmedia 16 years ago

I think sometimes a documentary is a better choice than a movie.

Would you rather have a big budget Hollywood version of a inspirational true story, or see a documentary about the same, with footage and interviews with the real people?

(not that a movie necessarily has to be done poorly, but by the time the script is rewritten for various reasons, pumped up for maximum dramatic effect, screened for test audiences, etc., the outcome is not hard to be surprised by.)

[–] pynkpanther 16 years ago

DEEDEE_215 (Fri Nov 2 2007 23:12:05) Ignore this User | Report Abuse

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Sometimes, i feel that black people stereotype each other, like we're only supposed to act a certain way.

how ironic is it that you and aquajock are doing just that?
i guess you two are the experts, so carry on...lol!

[–] Aquajock 16 years ago

You obviously don't know the definition of stereotype if you think that's what we are doing. If you're going to formulate an opinion, you should support it with a basis. I notice that all you do is go to random movie blogs and make pointless comments just to stir up the pot. Stop making comments about issues that you don't know anything about.

[–] pynkpanther 16 years ago

if you get that sterotype from the part of my history that you'd care to pay attention to, I hope you aren't black so you would be enforcing the stereotype that black people don't like to read.
dumbjock. another one for you.

[–] Aquajock 16 years ago

Yes I'm black, and proud of it. I can read very well, and that's how I know that your dumbass can't even spell stereotype correctly. Nothing that you say makes sense so stop wasting your time. You're probably some racist a-hole that hasn't accomplished Jacksh--, so now you go around pissed off at the world that you suck at life. Black people aren't your problem Pynk-idiot-Panther, you are. Get a life and get clue.

[–] pynkpanther 16 years ago

i see...you're just black because you've been burnt - to a crisp - by a sista you can't spread the bullsh*t on as thickly as you do other crunchy brethren like yourself.

dumbjock.
lol!

[–] Aquajock 16 years ago

OMG, are you kidding me? That's all you got? That was almost as lame as the first comment that you made. I can see that responding to you is about as absurd as your mother and father's idea to spawn you. You know how I can tell that you're an idiot? Because instead of debating, you take the chicken sh-- way out and resort to lame-ass comments like that. You comments are pointless because you don't know how to make a point, and do you know what that means? IT MEANS YOU'RE STUPID. Face it, you're a dunce and we both know it. So this is my last reponse, I don't associate with idiots...bad for the image.

CHECK MATE BITCH, I WIN.

pynk-BITCH-panther.

Now that's funny. LOL!!

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] m-rugen 16 years ago

i still don't agree, but do you really think this movie deserves lower than a 4 ???

[–] puzzow 16 years ago

I think if you look at other films on IMDB with a similar rating (see Uwe Boll for some examples) the answer is definitely not.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] sxyrd45 16 years ago

even i felt like it was a bit rushed i
don't think most people get it
it was more then just a story about blacks in the swim sport
and not to seem rude but who really cares about what your life was like
they based it off of the life of what another man went through
so what it doesn't count nor does it seem real just because you didn't have the same experiance thats silly.maybe one day someone will want to make a movie about what you did in your life time.they was just giving the example of if you look past what others think about you rather in color or your mentally slower then some that you can still do whatever you put your mind too and still make a great impact on others as well as yourself.

good lord people is it that hard to see the heart of the story

[–] tiffanykk2002 16 years ago

The movie was horrible. It was your predictable, basic, cliched sports story with racist overtones. I am black and I thought it was a snooze.
The OP is right, it was extremely contrived and rushed. They lost their first meet and the next thing you know they have the support of the entire community? When they actually one some competition it was broken down into a silly montage with no detail?
Tom Arnold was a total joke of a bigot, he wasn't convincing at all, he took the legitimacy out of the story before it even began.
.... And if I saw Bernie Mac cry one more time...

[–] Aquajock 16 years ago

To sxyd45,

Have you ever been a competitve swimmer or even know anything about the sport of swimming? My guess is no. Have you ever competed in ANY sport where you were the minority? Do you know the true story of Jim Ellis? Probably not, right?

The point we are trying to make is that there is much more to a story such as this than just black vs. white rascism. The story was innaccurate, shallow, and the theme was horribly redundant. Yes we see the heart of the story as you put it, but believe it or not, even black people get tired of being fed the same racism cool-aid.

[–] AllSeven 16 years ago

I just watched this film and I was also disappointed. It's a great story (the real story that is based on what I can sense from the film), but it was not told very well. The movie itself was poorly done. The acting was ok. Mr. Howard was pretty good, but the writing was pretty bad (and yes, I'd throw in the directing as well). It's a shame too because it is such an inspiring story. I liked the mostly OJays guided soundtrack, but the music at the end was quite strange as it seemed to not fit the musical scheme.

A7

PS.

Is there a way to post a comment without doing so as a response? There are times when I'm not really trying to respond directly to anyone's comments, but simply trying to make a statement in general.

[–] bensmybaby 16 years ago

I did feel the movie was rushed in the way they went from being underdogs to top of the game but I think may be we are too used to being spoonfed through that time by other movies of a similar genre.
As foir the movie itself I loved it. Did not miss a beat in giving you a feel of the times in which it took place and a look at the charcters ofthe boys on the team.
I loved Terrence, Bernie , Kimberlie in fact the whole cast.The soundtrack was a blast.
My fave part was when Terrence's character was about to get into the bus to tell them he was no longer going to be their coach and Strawberry Letter No. 23 started playing. Oh Idid not grow up in the 70';s but that moment was just precious.

Look to the left and see rain to the right and see thi=under but oh look up and you'll see ...you'll see the sun...

[–] mccabegabe 16 years ago

This movie had alot of potential to be great, imo, but they skipped over a lot of stuff in the middle part. Probably took too long on the setup and then glossed over the part where the swimmers actually became GOOD. & then in one big montage we went from a meet where Mainlie wouldn't even swim against them to the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS? I was like, What? How? Did I fall asleep and miss something?

Too bad since it was based on a true story and there were some good individual scenes and performances. Captured a 70's feel. Good music. But I wonder if they cut out scenes to make it shorter.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] billybarnett806 8 years ago

Congrats, I'm white and didn't think it was bad.

"Like my great grandpappy used to say, when life gives you booty, make bootyade!"-Big E of New Day