Acting of Gooding, De Niro unable to save Men of Honor

Men of Honor is the story of African-American Navy rescue diver, Carl Brashear and his struggle to make it as a Navy diver. Growing up as the son of a poor farmer in Kentucky, Brashear, played by Cuba Gooding Jr., joined the Navy with high hopes of success. After receiving assignment as a cook aboard a ship, he makes a desperate attempt for recognition by diving into the ocean for a little swim on a day designated as whites only. This little escapade earns him the right to advance out of the kitchen and into a group of rescue swimmers, as Brashear sets his hopes even higher. After writing many letters and voicing his opinions to others on numerous occasions, Brashear is accepted into the Naval Diving School in New Jersey. With a very nonspecific redneck accent, Robert De Niro plays Master Chief Billy Sunday, the instructor at Diving School. Through many months of training it becomes quite apparent that Sunday has no intention of allowing Brashear to pass the training and become the Navy's first black diver. Both Gooding and De Niro add little, if any, believability to their characters. Gooding is not right for the role he portrays, and De Niro should shy away from roles that require a country accent. The words Men of Honor signify a tale of a soldiers' sense of being honorable and truthful to the hopeful audience. The reality of the film, however, shows only a brief scene in which Brashear seems to honor only himself. One should not let the title deceive; honor does come into play, but not in the fashion the audience expects. When the credits started rolling in, a very unenthusiastic audience left the auditorium in silence. Rating: D-