Race (2016)

Jason Sudeikis as Larry Snyder in "Race"

Never having heard of "Race" before it made it to the dollar films, I was surprised at how into the biopic I was.

"Race" tells the story of Jesse Owens, (Stephan James) the fastest man on earth. The movie kicks off as Jesse heads to college to train with the best track coach there is, Larry Snyder (Jason Sudeikis), and ends with him still facing discrimination in 1930s USA even after winning four gold medals in the Olympics.

While the film was enjoyable, some parts felt rushed and it seems as though some things may have been glossed over.

When not focused on Owens, the story follows Avery Brundage (Jeremy Irons) as he negotiates with the Nazis. Having the Olympics in Berlin contained the possibility of Jews and Negroes not being able to participate and this is exactly what Brundage is trying to prevent. The Nazis allow both to participate as long as the the Olympic association agrees to support the Nazis in their endeavors.

It's fascinating to see Owens break multiple world records, both at home and abroad, and we also see him struggle to balance being an Olympic hopeful and being in the public eye. The NAACP does not want him to participate in the games. They say this would provide a public stance and show that the black community does not stand with the actions of the Nazis.

Overall, the film is formulaic. Jesse Owens is a fast kid and that attracts the attention of Larry Snyder. He becomes Owens' coach and from there they become friends. Snyder was close to becoming an Olympian contender in the 1928 Olympics, but wasn't able to. This makes him wise and is able to offer advice as Owens as he becomes more and more well known.

Jesse Owens is determined to marry the woman he has a child with, but other women offer distractions. Their relationship is threatened and he decides he doesn't want to lose her and they get married. There are moments where he has to discover who he is and other moments where he must make difficult decisions that are not ideal no matter what the outcome.

It is a feel good sports movie, but I did learn new things about Jesse Owens. The actors also have great chemistry together and they all provide great performances. James and Sudeikis bring the film to life with their relationship.

Of course we also get great performances from Carice Van Houten and David Kross who play Leni Riefenstahl and Carl Luz respectively. They also are there to prove that not all members of the Nazi party were bad.

Jeremy Irons also provides a strong performance as he negotiates with the Olympic committee as well as the Nazi party. He is a man who ultimately wants the best for the athletes he's fighting for even if his decisions are not the wisest.

Of course, being a white man he survives the scandal while Jesse Owens went on to be unacknowledged, despite winning four gold medals, until ten years after his death.

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