FilmSnobReviews

Title: Race
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Director: Stephen Hawkins
Starring: Stephen James, Jason Sudeikis, Carice van Houten
Runtime: 2 hrs 14 mins

What It Is: Jesse Owens did the impossible at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, the 11th in the modern era. Owens won 4 gold medals  against the backdrop of racism and home and the Nazi takeover happening in Germany. As Owens, who at the time is just a college kid at Ohio State navigates all of this he also has troubles at home. With the help of his college coach Larry Snyder (Sudeikis), he’ll break not only records but barriers.

What We Think: It’s sweet and saccharin as it gets. This is both the best and worst thing about this film. James is good enough as Owens and I don’t dislike what he brought the table. It’s…it just doesn’t have enough oomph to it. Being held back substantially by its own script it is glossy revisionism at its best. It’s worth noting that this is the first time that Triumph of the Will director Leni Riefenstahl is being portrayed on the big screen. One thing that I found somewhat refreshing was how in-depth they went with some of the uglier parts of the story. They didn’t paint Owens as an All-American good guy, but instead a flawed man having to deal with incomprehensible tasks ahead of him.

Our Grade: C, There was potential here and most of it was squandered. Surely there’s some good stuff to be had with perhaps a better man behind the lens. Hawkins is known more for his stellar television production and direction than he is the big screen. That shows true here. I don’t recommend it highly but if the topic interests you check it out, you’ll be in for a history lesson (albeit slightly altered) if nothing else.