A Most Beautiful Thing

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.

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.

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

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.

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