Chrisandra Robinson
Critique Watch Blog: Robert Wilonsky
Review Writing
Pride
Robert Wilonsky did
another review on the movie called, "pride" he starts off by
introducing the director and then he begins to elaborate on the plot summary
and the whole point of the movie. The way he explains the plot summary it
reveals that he know the history behind the movie by telling the reader that
the movie is based on a true story. He introduces Jim Ellis played by Terrance
Howard which is the coach of the black swimmers. Robert Wilonsky introduces him
because he is a well-known actor and one of the main characters in the movie.
In the review he gives background information about Jim Ellis. He talks about
how Jim Ellis ( Terrance Howard) use to swim, which was much needed information
because this information reveal to the reader that Jim Ellis went through the
same problems his team is going through. Jim Ellis swam against white competitors
whom mistreated him as well and never gave him a chance to show off his talent.
Another reason why this was a good to reveal to the reader is because Jim Ellis
became the young men coach and a lot of coaches are good coaches because they once played the sport
they are coaching, which shows they know what they are doing and the problems
their team will be faced with. Furthermore, it gave a sense of realism because
the coach went through what the boys are going through, which happens also in
the real world. I think Robert Wilonsky used the tern black swimmers because
that's what the white competitors viewed them as. They only seen their race not
how good of a swimmer they were, and I think Robert Wilonsky explained the plot
summary well because he got straight to the point. In the review one can tell
that Robery Wilonsky enjoy Terrance Howard acting because when describing his
performance he is very sarcastic. He said things like, “when is he not good”.
Then he began to talk a little about the soundtrack, which gives the reader a sense
of the time period the movie was in. I love the way he reviewed this movie
because it was very clear and straight to the point. There was also humor in
his review even though this movie can be sad, which made it enjoyable to read
and actually want to see the movie. I've seen the movie and I think he
discussed the major points and showed off by knowing some background about the
movie, director, and actors. He thoroughly addressed every aspect of the movie,
which was the performance, plot summary, soundtrack, history of the film and
more. This review was way more approving than his last review that he did on
love and basketball because I totally disagreed with how he viewed that movie. In
that film a personal critique was given, which made it seem like anybody could have
came up with that storyline.
The feature debut from South African director Sunu Gonera is straight from the sports-film playbook, the one in which an underdog team coached by an obstinate overachiever overcomes obstacles and adversity to take home the gold. It's Hoosiersin a swimming pool—well, Glory Road, anyway, given this is about a group of black swimmers competing against all-white teams who wouldn't toss the brothers a life preserver if they were drowning in the deep end. Like most sports pics, Prideis based on a true-life tale, that of Jim Ellis (played here by Terrence Howard), a former college swimmer who, in the 1970s, resuscitates a Philly rec center by filling the pool with water and some neighborhood kids with hope. Destined to be drug-runners for a dangerous but ultimately dim neighborhood thug, the kids instead excel between the lane ropes. If everything about the movie is overly familiar, at least Gonera and his writers get the details right; the pool sequences capture the isolation of the competitive swimmer who crawls for miles in lonely, aching silence. Howard, playing Ellis with equal measures of desperation and determination, is terrific—when is he not? Better still is Bernie Mac as the rec center's janitor, who is suspicious of Ellis's motives until at last he dives in. If nothing else, Pridehas the best sports-film soundtrack ever—Philly funk and soul, '70s style. And hell, that'll get ya wet.
'Pride'
Details
Pride
Directed by Sunu Gonera
Lionsgate, opens March 23
Directed by Sunu Gonera
Lionsgate, opens March 23
No comments:
Post a Comment