A Most Beautiful Thing (2020) User Reviews

Truly inspiring..

[samabc-31952 · 8/10 · 17 December 2020]

Where 1 out of every 3 kids die before they reach 18, drugs and arms are sold as potatoes-onions, witnessing murders is like watching a street show, your home is a vacation home as jail being your permanent and gangs are like clubs at every corner of the every street, ... This was 1990s the westside of Chicago... of all these odds, a team emerges at a school, initiated, built and sponsored by an UPenn alumni, a Jewish white guy.... the first African American high school rowing team! Who were these guys in the team, What happened to them? Did they survive, did they succeed or fail? How people face struggles and how they win the real race.. Beautiful memoir of one of those teammates .. truly inspiring..this documentary may lack an in-depth characterization of the individuals, but has a great collective rhythm... great background score..a great watch

Very nice to see

[121mcv · 7/10 · 3 November 2020]

Across the pond in the UK: while I feel most black and white people are still integrating and are further down the line than our comrades across the pond. I found this to be a delight to watch, I hope yall continue to work with each other to become a fabulous nation of people who don't give up the fight to unite and be one people. Work like this will make yall happy and peaceful ...keep going and keep the faith x

bravo

[fmwongmd · 6/10 · 13 December 2020]

How this could even be done,, a rowing team made up of ghetto black youth shown also as men, is simply amazing.

Astonishing!

[matt-24001 · 10/10 · 14 September 2020]

As a 45 year old white male from Indianapolis who's visited Chicago countless times, I was in utter disbelief of the cycle of violence these men and their community has endured. While watching this documentary, everything that I've seen from Ferguson to George Floyd to the BLM movement suddenly made sense. Can I relate? Absolutely not, but I was finally able to 'understand' the pure injustice faced in the daily lives of African Americans in America. It was shocking to see the life and death decisions forced upon young African Americans, particularly males, in Chicago and for all intents and purposes, across the nation. I am far from sheltered or naive and have done my best to educate myself on social injustice domestically and globally, but for some reason, this documentary shattered my perceptions. For those people still debating the validity of racism in America, it's time for a wake up call and this film will do the trick. The statistics alone are astonishing, but the strength and determination of these men and their families is almost unfathomable. Add the fact that the film itself is exceptionally well done from a production and direction perspective. This documentary should be a mandatory watch for everyone in America especially in 2020. Thank you to these young men brave enough to accomplish what they have and live to tell their story.

A Must See Film!

[atl-42813 · 10/10 · 15 September 2020]

I was moved by the equanimity, positivity and humor displayed by the men in this film, who have overcome so much adversity and are continuing to face obstacles created by the sytemic racism in this country. As the parent of a coxswain and one of the few Asians at rowing regattas, I can somewhat imagine how these African American rowers must have felt in a sport where most of the participants are private school or suburban white kids. The film also demonstrates the power and beauty of rowing, a true team sport which demands dedication and precision from all 9 persons on the boat to win. I would encourage everyone who reads this review to see the film, for which 50% of the profits will go toward supporting diversity and inclusion projects, including rowing programs for underprivileged teens.

Beautiful sport, most beautiful film

[DSPMachine · 10/10 · 12 September 2020]

Rowing serves as the backdrop of this film is about creating hope in Chicago's West Side. Struggles, hope, mistakes, redemption, setbacks, courage, kindness ... these are the materials that form this documentary. I think it's fair to say it presents without preaching. As a former HS and college rower with kids just now entering HS rowing, there were plenty of ways for me to connect to the rowers in the film. It was great to also hear their unique struggles coming from Chicago's West Side, and how that shaped their rowing experience. This film is not what I think of as #woke. The athletes and those around them are shown looking inward -- at the difficult hand they were dealt, but also at their own mistakes and opportunities, and always also looking at what they can do to offer hope to the community. Things that I value: rowing, the church, academics, peace, courage, hard work, family dedication, forgiveness and sacrifice -- all of these things are honored at various points in the story. And it is a beautiful story, I'm grateful to all those who were a part of it.

Haven't seen it yet

[bmiller59 · 4 September 2020]

NBC TODAY show did a short special about this documentary this morning. The genesis of how this story came about and interviews with all involved took place and I was riveted to watching this piece.

Hats off to Kate Snow for the piece she put together. It's about High School kids 20 years ago involved in gangs in West side of Chicago who are the nations first black high school rowing team.

Fast forward to 2019 and them and the police of Chicago get together and train and race together.

It'll be out today Sep 4 on NBC's streaming app PEACOCK.

NOTE: I have no vested interest to write and publish this review except that this documentary looks powerful.

Great story. Bless these men.

[crogers-44163 · 10/10 · 12 March 2021]

I don't even know what to say. I cried a lot. Wish these men the best.

Crew as a way out of Gangs? Yes

[maryonichols · 10/10 · 11 January 2021]

A highly unlikely story of the Manley High School Crew Team, West Side Chicago's tough, inner city school, where each member had witnessed their first murder by age 11. The hardship and redemption fueled by a couple of men who cared enough to spark an interest in forming the first all black shell team in the 1990s, then their reunion ride with an unlikely pairing 20 years later. Great film, great group of men and their families.