Race (2016)

“In those ten second, there’s no black or white, only fast or slow. ” – Jesse Owens

Number of Times Seen – 1 (9 Jun 2016)

Brief Synopsis – Biopic of Jesse Owens quest to make it to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin and win Gold for the US.

My Take on it – I have been interested in seeing this movie for months because I was curious how they would portray the effects of an African American representing the US at the Olympic Games held in Berlin.

They did a wonderful job capturing the time and place and properly dealt with the issues of prejudice both in Germany and in the US itself.

We learn so much about Owens’ life and why winning was so important to him.

Great cast all around, but it’s all held together by Jason Sudeikis who proves here that he can give exceptional dramatic performances in addition to his comedic ones.

I love the ambiguity of the title because it says so much with just one simple word.

Also shows us that not much has changed over the years and that politics ruled sports even 80 years ago.

I loved the way they showed the sportsman-like relationship between Owens and German competitor Carl ‘Luz’ Long because it proves that not everything was black and white during those dark days in Europe.

The Olympics don’t really mean as much today from a political standpoint as they did 80 years ago and this movie shows a time and place where it meant so much more.

Bottom Line – Love the ambiguity of the title. Great biopic that captures the prejudices of the time in both the US and in Germany. Shows that politics ruled sports even 80 years ago and that not much has really changed. Sudeikis is perfectly cast against type here and has a future in serious roles besides his comedic ones. Loved how they showed sportsmanship from Owens and his German counterpart Carl ‘Luz’ Long. Highly recommended!

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – Jesse Owens’s daughters gave full support to the production. The filmmakers contacted them, gave them a script for their approval, and traveled to France to meet the screenwriters personally. Afterwards, they said the script was “heartwarming.” They were frequently on set, and gave Stephan James detailed insight about what kind of man their father was. (From IMDB)

Rating – Oscar Worthy

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