Coach Jim Ellis shocks the community and changes lives when, aided by a local janitor, he sets out to form Philadelphia's first black swim team. But the odds are against them as they battle rigid rules, racism and more.
Acting
Bernie Mac's quietly devastating performance
Score
Gospel-hip hop fusion that shouldn't work but does
Writing
True story adaptation with actual teeth
Director
Sunu Gonera
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The real Jim Ellis still runs the PDR swim program in Philadelphia; the film was shot at his actual pool.
Released during the post-Crash Oscar bait era, it bombed because audiences were exhausted by 'racism solved through sports' narratives—despite being based on actual ongoing work.
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