This from EW.com:
Recent Oscar nominee Terrence Howard has two new roles in his future: In the first, he'll star in PDR (Philadelphia Department of Recreation) a movie about real-life inner-city swim coach Jim Ellis.
I know Jim. Great guy. Besides the fact that he had two (or three) black swimmers go to Olympic trials, I'm not real sure what makes this a feature film. It's not like his story is anywhere near "Glory Road." If Michael Norment had made the '96 Olympic team, that would have been something. But maybe it's precisely because Jim got more than one black swimmer to the 1996 Trials that gets the green light.
Why aren't they doing a movie about my age-group coach, who ran an all-black swim team for many, many, many years. Even though I was the only one in his group to do anything swimming-wise, my coach (Mr. Taylor we called him, never by his first name) had polio and had lots and lots of respect in St. Louis, where there are lots of blacks, but was only one black swim team.
Anyway. Terrence Howard would have to bulk up for the role. Jim is (or was about 10 years ago when I saw him last) a bulky guy. Terrence looks a little too slim.
All I hope is that they use real swimmers from PDR, and not actors who think they know how to swim.
I've heard a little about PDR and expect there could be a good movie from it if they do it right. Of course if they do make a good movie about swimming it will be the first,at least since "Million Dollar Mermaid". If they get real swimmers that will also be nearly a first. The last good swimmer I remember was the young woman who played "Chrissie" in "Jaws" and that didn't end well for her.
I've heard a little about PDR and expect there could be a good movie from it if they do it right. Of course if they do make a good movie about swimming it will be the first,at least since "Million Dollar Mermaid". If they get real swimmers that will also be nearly a first. The last good swimmer I remember was the young woman who played "Chrissie" in "Jaws" and that didn't end well for her.
