Men of Honor

History is made by those who break the rules

MEN OF HONOR (15)

D: George Tillman, Jr.

20th Century Fox (Robert Teitel & Bill Badalato)

US 2000

123 mins

Biopic/Drama/War

W: Scott Marshall Smith

DP: Anthony B. Richmond

Ed: John Carter

Mus: Mark Isham

Cuba Gooding, Jr. (Carl Brashear), Robert De Niro (Master Chief Leslie Sunday), Charlize Theron (Gwen Sunday), Hal Holbrook (Mr. Pappy), David Keith (Capt. Hartigan), Michael Rapaport (Snowhill)

Based on the true story of Carl Brashear, who overcame racism and other adversities to become the first African-American chief diver in the US Navy, despite facing hurdles from all the way up the military chain of command.

This biopic feels quite pedestrian in places, with not much to set it apart from countless other triumph over adversity tales, though it's very much galvanised with A-list performances of Cuba Gooding, Jr. & Robert DeNiro as an alcoholic, bigoted instructor who redeems himself when he becomes Brashear's trainer.

6/10

Robert DeNiro & Cuba Gooding, Jr. in Men of Honor