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Pride

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 7, age appropriate for kids over 8; suggested age 8.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0
  • Common Sense says

    Feel-good swimming flick takes on racism.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 8 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Inner-city African-American teens learn to appreciate swimming competitively thanks to their tireless coach. The entire neighborhood rallies behind the swimmers, and wealthy white swimmers and their coaches eventually grow to respect the team.

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness:

    Jim's presence at an all-white swim meet sparks a near riot. He punches a white police officer. Jim nearly drowns the local drug dealer.
  • Sexy stuff:

    Some flirting and hand-holding and one kiss. The neighborhood pimp offers Jim a date with one of his ladies, but he declines. The boys on the team flirt and holler at girls.
  • Language:

    Some foul language and racial terms like "Negro" and "boy."
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    There's an obvious drug dealer and pimp who uses local teens to make his deliveries.

What Parents Need to Know

This review of Pride was written by Sandie Angulo Chen

Parents need to know that this fact-based drama deals with racism head-on from its very first scene, in which Terrence Howard's character, Jim Ellis, is the only African American at a swim meet in 1960s North Carolina. A scuffle breaks out, and he ends up striking a white cop. He encounters bigotry again in the '70s when he ends up coaching an all-black swim team: The team's wealthier white competitors sabotage and ridicule the black swimmers at meets. But the drama also shows Jim's team making "honky" jokes and goofing off instead of taking competition seriously. Besides the opening brawl, there's another altercation in a pool, when Jim nearly drowns the local drug dealer.

Families Can Talk About

Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
  • Families can talk about the different forms of racism displayed in the film. Why wouldn't any of the other swimmers get in the pool with Jim? How are his experiences tied in with the American South's segregated past? Jim also deals with prejudice in the North. Are there any differences in the racist attitudes of both regions? What other recent films deal with racism and sports? Is bigotry still an issue in athletics in real life?
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More on Pride

What’s the Story?

Set in the 1970s, PRIDE follows competitive swimmer-turned-coach Jim Ellis after he's turned down for a coaching job at an all-white academy in the affluent Philadelphia suburbs. Jobless, he takes a temporary gig cleaning up a Philly rec center that's scheduled to close. When he uncovers and refills the pool -- much to the amusement of center maintenance worker Elston (Bernie Mac) -- a few local teens decide to dive in rather than hang out in the parking lot. Thus begins the fledgling swim team, which single-handedly keeps the center open. Of course, when the team members show up at their first official meet in their rickety yellow bus (at the same academy that snubbed Ellis), the race and class divide that separates them from their competitors becomes as crystal as the Olympic-sized pool's water. Ellis is embarrassed at the team's showing, and the kids realize they'll have to fully commit in order to really compete.

Is It Any Good?

Terrence Howard is an actor of such gravitas that he lends a powerful authenticity to every role he plays. Which is lucky for Pride. As Coach Ellis, Howard saves an otherwise formulaic story (based on real events, no less) from turning into another trite sports drama. Anyone who's seen an inspiring sports movie can guess what happens when the Philly kids train hard, swim fast, and land at a national competition. But even knowing the outcome, viewers can't help but cheer for the underdogs' Pride.

Movie Details

Studio: Lionsgate, Director: Sunu Gonera
Run time: 108 minutes
Theatrical release: 03/22/2007, DVD release: 06/26/2007
MPAA Rating: PG for thematic material, language including some racial epithets, and violence.

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Our Members Say

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    Lives in California
    I rate this title off for age 0 and give it 0.0

  2. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Maine
    I rate this title off for age 0 and give it 3.0

    Too much bad language for a PG flick

    I rented this because I heard it was a nice feel good flick (and because my dad is an extra in the movie and we wanted to look for him.) I checked this website to see if it was appropriate for my 7 and 9 year olds to watch and got a good vibe. But no, it has every cuss word except the F word in it and I quickly sent them out of the room to watch something else. I wish I had known that in advance. The drug dealer and issues surrounding him are also too much for a 7 and 9 year old. However, I really liked this movie as an adult and I would recommend it to parents with older kids.

  3. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Texas
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 5.0

  4. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Massachusetts
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 4.0

    Pride Delivers

    I had low expectations for Pride after reading a few nasty reviews, but Owen Gleiberman's B+ review in Entertainment Weekly convinced me to take a chance. I must say, I was moved to tears (as were my companions) by the story, by the outstanding supporting cast, and by the magnificent Terrance Howard. Yes, the script was cliched, and there were few surprises, but Howard, Bernie Mac and the others embued their characters with so much honesty and heart it didn't matter. As a former actress, I know that that's all about direction! I highly recommend this film to all ages.

  5. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Texas
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 3.0

    Great Story but beware of racism

    As a parent, I would be sure to talk to my children about the cultural issuea of prejudice prior to allowing my children to watch this movie. It was set in late 60's-70's when the issues of racism were more overt. I like the movie alot.

  6. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in Florida
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 5.0

    good

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