"Nothing matters. not color, not money, not even hate." -Jesse Owens
I think we've all seen this movie before; an uplifting sports bio-pic that touches on racism, politics, identity, and grit. Race is more of the same. Obviously, the story of Jesse Owens is inspiring. Talent, hard work, and opportunity will out. If you didn't know the story and accomplishments of Jesse Owens, I thoroughly recommend Race.
If you do know the story and have seen this movie before, there's no need to see Race. It is not particularly original or memorable. However, Race did have some great points and interesting topics to discuss.
- Nazis
- I find it strange that Nazis have been the villains on screen for 70 years. One of the lasting legacy's of the regime will be as heels for eternity. Need a despicable cast of murderous ideologues that are universally despised? Best make them either aliens or Nazis.
- Time period
- There are lots of period dramas. Some of them do the costumes, accents, periodicals, and locations right. Some of them put just enough shine on these essentials to hope we don't notice. A few think fancy hats make things old-timey. For Race's part, they do a an amazing job with the costumes and locations. I was particularly impressed with the old stadiums, the Olympic venues, and the kits of the athletes. This is how period is done.
- Actors
- Stephan James was spectacular as Jesse Owens. Beyond that, the rest of the performances were completely acceptable. Jason Sudeikis was pretty good in a dramatic role, and I would like to see him in more. I expect Amanda Crew will be getting better roles than Office Girl (Peggy) going forward. Carice van Houten still makes me only think of Mellisandre, but it is good to know that she has dramatic range.
On a scale of 4X100M relay to 100X4M relay, I give Race, 2.9 stars out of 5.
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