It is hard to believe that we haven’t gotten a Jesse Owens biopic before Race. The new film from Stephen Hopkins gives 21st century audiences a glimpse into the life and legacy of one of the most iconic people of the 20th century.
Sometimes with biopics, it’s simply a case of the story had to be gotten right or the perfect person had to come along to play the once in a lifetime soul who is finally getting their much-deserved spotlight. We would like to think it is the latter with Race, as it’s hard to believe anyone could have captured Owens’ persona, athleticism and humanity as well as Canadian actor Stephan James.
James first appears onscreen running the streets of his hometown. It’s the 1930s and The Depression is rearing its ugly head all over America. For Owens, he sees a better future and it is through his gift of speed and athleticism. That finds him at Ohio State University where fate has him run right into coach Larry Snyder (Jason Sudeikis). The two form a partnership that will find Owens breaking records in college and on the world stage at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games.
Adolf Hitler had hoped that these games would show the world the superiority of the Aryan nation, but Owens had other plans. And given that the entire thing was filmed (for that Nazi propaganda purpose) by esteemed photog Leni Riefenstahl (Carice van Houten), the world would soon know all about Owens and not Germany’s triumph.
Race takes us behind the history and frankly, to the heart of it. What works so well about Race is that it is not simply about Owens. The world-class runner’s fame did not happen in a vacuum. There were societal and historical pressures put upon him that only added to the hurdles he had to leap over to run into history — not the least of which was whether the United States would even go to the Berlin Olympics. This country came very close to boycotting it, and it only because of the diplomatic work of Avery Brundage (an incredible Jeremy Irons) that America even made the journey to the Nazi controlled land.
And then there is the monolithic elephant in the room that is Race (isn’t that title impeccable?). Racism was rampant and Owens had to find ways to cope while still gunning for glory. Hopkins brilliantly frames this aspect of the Race story by widening the scope. Jews and others that were non-Aryan were being rounded up and taken away. That found African Americans in this country asking Owens not to go to Berlin in a move of solidarity to their Jewish brothers and sisters.
Hopkins captures it all brilliantly. The framework, timeliness and why this story is so important comes through around every corner… sadly, except for one. In an effort to not paint Owens as a saint — to make him seem quite human — there is a sub-story about him finding love with his lifelong soulmate Ruth (Shanice Banton) and an affair Owens had that almost drove the lovebirds apart. We can appreciate the love story with Ruth as that is the woman he would spend his entire life with, but the dalliance element is a distraction that derails the story’s effort to effectively bring Owen’s larger-than-life achievements to a new generation.
Sudeikis tackles his first true dramatic role and hits it out of the park. Whether he does more is surely up to the comedic actor, yet here’s hoping he does more drama. The character, as painted in Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse’s script fits him well. Snyder is a bit of a wise-ass who is not a fan of authority, and if that isn’t Sudeikis, what is?!
James is a marvel and quite the find. The young actor, like Chadwick Boseman in 42 (and in Get On Up for that matter), is charged with what could have been the most thankless of tasks. They had to capture an icon, firmly establish his place in the societal-historical context of the time, and make him human, approachable and revealed.
Somehow, James does it all.
Grade: B