military training film be become so common that they be become a genre unto themselves . among the more prominent we have and ` officer and a gentleman and ` top gun and ` gi jane and and now ` men of honor . the fact that this one happen to be true doesn not change the fact that the formula be the same . this film be probably most like ` gi jane since it focus on the desegregation angle . the story be actually quite inspirational and be probably the best human interest story among those mention above . carl brashear ( cuba gooding and jr. ) be unquestionably a man of great courage and principle and and his strength of character shine through brightly in this film . unfortunately and director george tillman have tunnel vision in present the character and eschews character development of various character other than brashear in favor of show brashear in a constant state of adversity . billy sunday ( robert de niro ) be a central figure and and except for the initial scene and the fistfight and a couple of scene with his wife and we do not know much about him . for instance and brashear see the scar on sunday palm and we be to assume that he work a plow and but there be no follow up on that point . mr. pappy ( hal holbrook ) get only one short scene by which we can judge him . the rest of his screen time show him pace around and rant . if a director be go to make a human interest story and he need to humanize the character . cuba gooding jr. give an outstanding performance a brashear . this be probably the best i have see him . this be a role and a character that be far more complete than any part he have play before and and he rise to the occasion . in ` jerry maguire and rod tidwell be a fascinating and but one dimensional character with the depth of a rain puddle . brashear be much more complex and ground and and the issue he face be life crisis and make the part far more challenging . this be an excellent recovery from gooding last role in ` chill factor and a film so dreadful that it be almost an act of professional suicide to take the part . after a stint try his hand a a comedian ( ` analyze this and ` the adventure of rocky and bullwinkle and ` meet the parent ) and robert deniro be back to his dramatic root with an outstanding performance . deniro isn not a bad comedian and he be just such a great dramatic actor that it seem like he shouldn not waste his time do comedy . deniro endow billy sunday with a rock hard personality belie a tortured soul . it be a pleasure watch him work . it seem every film i watch lately have charlize theron in it . i saw ` the legend of bagger vance and ` men of honor and ` the yard right in a row and i be begin to wonder if she have a part in every film in 2000 ( actually and she only do five ) . this be a minor role for theron and but she carry it off well and manage to stay with deniro step for step . david keith and who co star with richard gere in ` officer and a gentleman and have a cameo herethe dvd have some interesting special feature and include reflection by the real carl brashear and some delete scene . i enjoy this film despite the hackneyed plot and the one dimensional presentation . i rat it a positive . i be a sucker for underdog story and i have a fondness for story where strength of character be the central theme . this film be particularly strong in both area and bring u two memorable act performance that compensate for some of the director shortcoming .