Watch Southern Pride

Southern Pride is a heartwarming drama film based on two African-American men, one from rural Louisiana and the other from suburban New Jersey with contrasting lifestyles and beliefs who come together to compete in a cooking competition. The movie begins by introducing two men on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to their understanding of their roots and the spirituality they hold. They are Shawn Perryon Sr. and Lynn Koval. Perryon Sr., is a middle-aged, charming and vivacious veteran from Louisiana suburbs. He is a family man, believes in the sanctity of life, and lives and breathes his culture in everyday life. On the other hand, Koval is a young, fit and worldly professional man from New Jersey with no connection to his ancestry.

'In LA, it ain't about meself, it's about family,' Shawn states as the movie begins, as he teaches his kids how to prepare a king cake. Meanwhile, Lynn lives a busy professional life and has no interest in exploring his ancestry or culture, but is unknowingly left lonely and unfulfilled.

However, they meet by chance when their children go on a school trip, and each is assigned as the other's roommate. During the trip, the fathers discover they share a love for cooking, and they challenge each other to make dishes that are true to their heritage.

However, when they both enter a cooking competition in which the prize is $10,000, it upsets their friendship, leaving the competition to feel like a return to their separate lives as they were years ago, segregated in the world. The movie follows both their struggles as they get ready for the big competition, rediscover their roots, and reconcile their differences, in the hopes of finding common ground.

Southern Pride showcases the deep connection between family and heritage, emphasizing the importance of knowing one's roots while also having an open mind towards other cultures. The audience is propelled by the drive of the lead characters, as well as their mutual love for their respective children, which is what brings them together in the first place.

The cast, led by Perryon and Koval, gave fantastic performances, with their chemistry as friends and rivals shining through onscreen. They each managed to display very different personalities, characteristics, and quirks unique to people of their background, making them authentic characters that resonate with the audience.

Furthermore, the director and the entire crew of the movie did an excellent job in bringing the culture of the rural Louisiana setting to life with the use of symbolic scenery, colorful costumes, and lively music. Their attention to detail in bringing out the history and culture of African-American communities reflects their dedication to bringing something new and authentic to the big screen.

In essence, Southern Pride is an engaging and heartfelt movie that beautifully portrays the importance of cultural identity, family, and friendship. It's a movie that manages to be thought-provoking, inspiring, and entertaining at the same time and is a must-watch for anyone looking for a story that evokes emotions long after the credits roll.

Southern Pride is a 2019 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 26 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.7.