MOVIE REVIEW: Race

Before Usain Bolt stormed his way down the track at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and broke the World and Olympic Records for 100 and 200 metres, there was another track and field legend that dominated headlines and the track and field scene. That person is none other than Jesse Owens.

To let you understand exactly how great of an athletic giant he was at that time, listen to this: Usain Bolt took only one year to crush his own 100-metre World Record set at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. It took a grand total of 36 years for the last of Owens’ records to be fully broken – that was how unprecedentedly fast he was.

A biopic based on the true story of Jesse Owens (played by Stephan James), Race features his rise to athletic fame to become the stuff track and field legends are made of. Supported by his coach Larry Snyder (Jason Sudeikis), he overcomes obstacles as an African-American athlete to chase his Olympic dream. The main goal in this film shows his journey to take part in three of his pet events – 100 metres, 200 metres and the broad jump  – at the 1936 Olympics in the then Nazi Germany. Jeremy Irons plays Avery Brundage, a member of the Olympic Committee who helped oppose the American boycott of the Games. The events in the Olympics were covered by Leni Riefenstahl (Carice van Houten), a filmmaker commissioned by the German Olympic Committee to make the film titled Olympia. 

The film makes sport of racial discrimination and their cynical booing of Owens as he wins event after event in a successful, albeit straightforward way of depicting how sports unites everyone in spite of race. In the Olympics Broad Jump category (now known as Long Jump), Luz Long (David Kross) is the main (German) person standing in Owens’ way. Great sportsmanship is intrinsic in any sports; even in the terrifying times of the Nazi regime, Luz Long sees it in himself to be a loyal German, but first and foremost, to be an exemplary sportsman.

The film’s cast perform in fits and starts. Stephan James depicted the young Owens in a refreshing way, but definitely could have done it with more wonder and unyielding attitude that defined “The Buckeye Bullet”. Stepping away from her role as Melisandre in Game of Thrones, Carice Van Houten displays her remarkable individuality in the film that was both interesting and unforgettable despite the meagre screen time.

On the other hand, Jason Sudeikis stuns as Owens’ coach, a role far from his comfort zone as a comedian whose resume includes an eight-year stint as a regular cast and writer on Saturday Night Life. His signature straight-face deadpan jokes do make multiple occurrences in the movie, which is a delightful treat. However, Sudeikis would have been better off writing his own script as the predictable lines rob the entertainer of his zest.

The movie has a comfortable and even pace, juxtaposing athletics with discourse about race. The film clearly took pains to be historically accurate, even going so far as to include the time stamp to show how Owens finished his wins in Ann Harbour in accordance with the acclaimed “greatest 45 minutes in sports”. That being said, the movie can do more to push creative boundaries. It is undeniable that inspiration largely comes from role models and real life events. However, it does not have to settle at just being inspirational; with a subject like Jesse Owens, the film could definitely have gone on to be more aspirational.

Naturally, Race is a pun on the show being about race and competition, which raises a double-barrelled question simultaneously. Weighing competition and racial discourse, it is clear which it has excelled in. Runners, this is the show for you. Apart from the fairly accurate depiction of Owens’ training regime, Owens’ races are covered with documentary-like thoroughness combined with the inspirational energy of the Chariots of Fire.

There is a strong sense of frustration found in this film in their discussion on race and you do not have to look very far to find out why. Just last week, we had an #OscarSoWhite ceremony that had all white nominees. The situation may have improved, but it is still far from ideal. The movie starts off with a noble intention – no, not to rewrite history, but to use Owens’ story to discuss racial problems. Some would call the movie’s aim idealistic, if it attempts to use the grim portrayal of yesteryears to redress the consequences of racist policies. As solely an attempt to raise awareness and to promote racial tolerance, the film has succeeded. Through what is arguably the greatest uniting medium, sports, Race has showed us that we might be different, but that does not mean that we are not the same and we should treat other people any differently.

Watch the trailer here: