Based on a true story, in 1974 Jim Ellis (Terrence Howard) was just out of college looking for work as a math teacher. Jim loved to swim but as the only black swimmer on his college team, Jim encountered discrimination from other teams at swim meets. After being turned down for a teaching job at a private school in Philadelphia, Jim needs money, and he takes a temporary job packing up items at a rundown recreation center that is about to be demolished. Jim finds the pool and begins his journey to bring it back to life. Elston (Bernie Mac) the custodian for many years thinks Jim is crazy for taking on this major challenge. Regardless, Jim thinks he can help some of the kids in the neighborhood by forming the city's first African-American swim team and compete in the state championship meet and perhaps save the Philadelphia Department of Recreation center from being torn down.
This movie was uplifting and inspiring showing us that anything is possible. These sports-themed, overcoming-all-odds type movies can by very cliché but Terrence Howard makes this one work in a way that truly does encourage greatness. His character development was stirring and consistent as he showed us that he can make any project work. There was very little new material in this movie so don’t expect any surprising moments. Overall, it was a good family movie that shows us once again how important it is to respect all human beings regardless of race and to believe that anything is possible.
Jim loved to swim but as the only black swimmer on his college team, Jim encountered discrimination from other teams at swim meets. After being turned down for a teaching job at a private school in Philadelphia, Jim needs money, and he takes a temporary job packing up items at a rundown recreation center that is about to be demolished. Jim finds the pool and begins his journey to bring it back to life. Elston (Bernie Mac) the custodian for many years thinks Jim is crazy for taking on this major challenge. Regardless, Jim thinks he can help some of the kids in the neighborhood by forming the city's first African-American swim team and compete in the state championship meet and perhaps save the Philadelphia Department of Recreation center from being torn down.
