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“Race” Movie Review: A Triumph or a Disappointment?
As a lover of sports movies, I cannot tell you enough how excited I was to watch the movie “Race.” The movie is a biopic of Jesse Owens, one of the greatest athletes in history, and his journey to the 1936 Berlin Olympics. However, my excitement turned into disappointment as the movie failed to deliver what it promised.
The Storyline
The movie starts with Jesse Owens (played by Stephan James) at Ohio State University where he meets his coach Larry Snyder (Jason Sudeikis). Snyder sees potential in Owens and begins training him for the upcoming Olympics. Meanwhile, Hitler plans to use the Games to showcase Aryan superiority and prove that Germans are the superior race.
The Casts
The cast includes Stephan James as Jesse Owens, Jason Sudeikis as Larry Snyder, Jeremy Irons as Avery Brundage, and Carice van Houten as Leni Riefenstahl. The performances were good overall, with Stephan James standing out with his portrayal of Jesse Owens. Jason Sudeikis also surprised me with his serious acting chops.
The Plot and Fact
The plot revolves around Jesse Owens’ journey to the 1936 Berlin Olympics where he wins four gold medals. The movie made some changes to the actual events, such as portraying Larry Snyder as a struggling alcoholic when in reality, he was not. The movie also highlighted the role of Avery Brundage in enabling America’s participation in the Olympics despite Hitler’s anti-Semitic policies. However, the fact that Brundage was himself an anti-Semite and Nazi sympathizer was not emphasized enough.
The History
Jesse Owens’ triumph at the Berlin Olympics is one of the most significant moments in sports history. The fact that he won four gold medals as a black athlete in Hitler’s Germany is iconic. However, “Race” failed to capture the true essence and significance of Owens’ achievement. The movie hardly touched upon the political and social implications of his victories.
The Characters and Acting
The acting was good overall, but it is Stephen James who deserves special mention for his portrayal of Jesse Owens. He convincingly brought out both the athletic prowess and inner turmoil of Owens. Jason Sudeikis was impressive too with his portrayal of Larry Snyder.
Opinion on Historical Accuracy
I believe that a biopic should be as historically accurate as possible, but “Race” failed to do so. The movie made some changes to the actual events, and some of the facts were not emphasized enough. The movie focused more on Owens’ athletic achievements and less on the political and social implications of his victories.
The Score and Popularity
The movie’s score was decent, but it did not stand out. It was composed by Rachel Portman, who has won an Academy Award for Best Original Score. However, the music failed to enhance the impact of the movie on me. As for its popularity, “Race” did not do well at the box office and received mixed reviews from critics.
The Evaluation
Overall, I would give “Race” a score of 5 out of 10. The acting was good, especially by Stephen James who played Jesse Owens with conviction. Jason Sudeikis also stood out with his portrayal of Larry Snyder. However, the movie failed to capture the true essence and significance of Jesse Owens’ achievements.
The Cinematography
The cinematography was good, with some beautiful shots of Owens’ training and races. The camera angles during the Olympic events were effective at capturing the intensity and thrill of the moment. However, the movie could have made better use of lighting and color to evoke certain emotions and moods.
The Soundtrack
The soundtrack by Rachel Portman was good, but it did not stand out as exceptional. The music failed to enhance the impact of the movie on me, but it did create a pleasant background score that did not detract from the movie.
The Analysis
“Race” received mixed reviews from critics, with some praising the acting and cinematography while others criticized its historical accuracy. Some felt that the movie failed to capture the true essence and significance of Jesse Owens’ achievements while others believed that it was a decent biopic.
The Special Effects
The special effects in “Race” were limited, mainly consisting of digital compositing during the Olympic events. There were no elaborate visual effects or action scenes that required advanced special effects. This was not a movie that relied on special effects to tell its story.
The Dialogue
The dialogue was decent, with some good one-liners and conversations between characters. However, it lacked the depth and complexity required to truly capture the essence of the story. The writing could have been more nuanced and layered to evoke certain emotions and moods.
The Crews
The crew of “Race” included director Stephen Hopkins, writer Joe Shrapnel, and cinematographer Peter Levy. The crew did a decent job, with some effective camera work during the Olympic events. However, they failed to truly capture the essence and significance of Jesse Owens’ achievements.
The Criticism
“Race” received mixed reviews from critics, with some praising the acting and cinematography while others criticized its historical accuracy. Some felt that the movie failed to capture the true essence and significance of Jesse Owens’ achievements while others believed that it was a decent biopic.
The Production
The production of “Race” was decent, with some effective camera work during the Olympic events. The movie was shot on location in Montreal and Berlin, which added to the authenticity of the visuals. However, the movie failed to fully capture the essence and significance of Jesse Owens’ achievements.
The Editing
The editing of “Race” was good overall, with some effective transitions between scenes. However, there were times when the pacing felt slow and dragged down the story. Some scenes could have been trimmed or cut altogether to improve the flow of the narrative.
The Scenes
The scenes in “Race” were decent overall, with some effective camera work during Owens’ training and races. The Olympic events were also well-shot, capturing the intensity and thrill of the moments. However, some scenes felt dragged out and could have been trimmed or cut altogether.
The Gossip
There was not much gossip surrounding “Race.” The movie received mixed reviews from critics and did not perform well at the box office. Some fans criticized its historical accuracy while others praised its acting and cinematography.
The Opinion
My opinion on “Race” is mixed. While I found the acting and cinematography to be good, the movie failed to capture the true essence and significance of Jesse Owens’ achievements. The movie focused too much on Owens’ athletic prowess and not enough on the political and social implications of his victories.
The Conclusion
Overall, “Race” was a decent biopic but failed to truly capture the essence and significance of Jesse Owens’ achievements. While the acting and cinematography were good, the historical accuracy was questionable at times, and some scenes dragged out unnecessarily. If you are a sports fan or a fan of biopics, then “Race” might be worth a watch. However, if you are looking for a truly impactful and insightful portrayal of one of the greatest moments in sports history, then you might be disappointed.