Race is a biographical movie about Jesse Owens who had won 4 gold medals at the Berlin Olympics in 1936.
The movie traces the journey of Jesse Owens from his college days to him winning the gold medals at the Olympics. The movie has its mix of drama and realism which lets the audience connect with the movie. The audience feels the same emotions as is being felt by the character. This is the best point about the movie. The movie has lots of drama in the form of hatred for the blacks in United States and Jewish oppression in Germany. The movie has tried to showcase both of these elements and they form an integral part of the movie. The movie also showcases the politics between the Olympic committees of US and Germany for Olympic games participation. All of this make this movie an interesting watch. With the character of Jesse Owens, the movie has tried to show the superiority of USA over the Nazi's. So at times it does not feel like a biography, but an effort to give a boost to one's ego. This is the only shortfall of this movie.
Stephen James essaying the role of Jesse Owens has performed the character really well and is very convincing as an Olympic runner. Jason Sudekis as Owens' coach is superb and Jeremy Irons as Avery Brundage, the Olympic committee member who gets US to vote for entering into the Berlin Olympics, is also first rate. This movie belongs to all these three characters.
Stephen Hopkins has given the movie the right look of the 1930s and has directed the movie very well. The movie is very tight in narrative and all credit goes to the director. He has been able to give the larger than life feel to the olympic scenes and this adds to the narrative of the movie.
Overall the movie is a worthy watch and one of the better biographies to have been made in the recent times.
Rating - 3.5 / 5
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