Just What Are They Trying To Say?

So, being on mass transit here in LA, I usually have the chance to look out the window and see a lot of things. One thing that recently caught my interest is the above movie poster. I have a few problems with it. See if you can see where I'm going with this.

First off, I want to point out that this is a movie poster and most people will pass by it while driving [duh!] and will probably only have a moment or two to scan it before the light turns green or the Knucklehead in the car ahead of them makes that right hand turn. That in mind, the first thing I noticed was this movie is starring Bernie Mac and Terrence Howard. Hmmm...both of them look shirtless...that's interesting. The next thing I noticed was the five of nekkid-looking young men below the pictures of the stars. The last thing I noticed was the title of the film, Pride.

Now, how am I supposed to, at 40 mph no less, interpret a poster for a movie called PRIDE that seems to feature nekkid men? Hmmm. I had the chance to take 5 minutes [while standing still] and really look at it. Yeah, the movie is still called Pride. That can't be helped. I noticed that Bernie Mac isn't shirtless after all. He's actually wearing a shirt in the picture, but since it's the exact the same color as his skin, he looks shirtless. As for the bevvy of nekkid young men, one of them is actually a girl but since she's buried so far in the back and has a cap on, she looks like a fifth young man.

I only finally figured out this movie was about a swim team when I took a moment to find more information on the internet. A SWIM TEAM? Oh, you mean those black lines behind the faces of the stars are meant to be swim lanes? Those swirly blue lines are supposed to indicate water and not just to denote that the movie is set in the 70's? I see now [since I zoomed in 50 times with the aid of the computer] that the center man is holding a clipboard and a stopwatch and that kid under Bernie Mac's shoulder is holding swim goggles.

I am not a designer by any means, but this poster is horrible. I'm astonished that someone approved this stuff. It must have been a mistake. For a week or so there, I was wondering if Bernie and Terrence was starring in a gay movie or something.