Chicago International Film Festival 2024: 'Unstoppable'
Unstoppable doesn’t break the mold, as it were, but it maintains its precarious balance while giving the people what they want, which is a lot in itself. Even its tunnel vision ends up being to its advantage, with the movie emulating its characters’ no-nonsense practicality to take an approach to obstacles and heartache that is strictly no-frills.
The fact that it has Jharrel Jerome playing its subject doesn’t hurt either. Audiences were left reeling after his breakout performance in the miniseries When They See Us, and he’ll no doubt inspire for his work as another, quite different real life figure, wrestling athlete Anthony Robles. Born with one leg, he nevertheless overcomes odds both on and off the mat to achieve his dreams of success.
Such stories (or at least the best of them) tend to have a maternal figure who manages to add a personal, charismatic touch to that “stuff of which great men's mothers are made” role, and Jennifer Lopez not only gives her all as Judy, she could carry a whole movie on her own about how she learns to love and empower herself as much as she does her son. True to the supporting women’s wrongs concept, she’s flawed and human enough to be beyond pity when she is verbally and physically abused by her partner Rick (Bobby Cannavale, oozing that toxic masculinity), as well as believably motivated enough to learn both how to live without him and save her home from foreclosure.
Choosing Rick as Anthony’s stepfather is also key to what nearly derails Anthony’s dreams completely, since his decision to stay and support his mother and siblings means passing up a free ride to a Philadelphia college in favor of remaining in Arizona for a longshot chance to wrestle on the ASU team. By this time, director William Goldenberg (making his directorial debut) has already given us masterfully choreographed matches that showcase both the sport and how Goldenberg’s decadeslong history editing on films as diverse as Heat, Pleasantville, Argo, The Imitation Game, and last year’s Air have given him the eye to depict Anthony’s inner and outer turmoil as he fights for his goals over and over again.
There’s no shortage of inspirational moments of course, since in addition to Anthony having to sharpen his already formidable skills to keep up with his college teammates and impress his new coach Shawn Charles (Don Cheadle dishing out the tough love), he also has night shifts cleaning airplanes, experiences devastating losses, and the college’s wrestling program being scrapped. Pick your relatable moment; you’ll find it.
Even the toxic environment of the early aughts time period becomes one more thing to transcend. Cruelty isn’t exactly equated with cool anymore, even as it has worrying staying power as a concept, but as someone who comes off as an actual nice guy rather than of the faux variety, Anthony has to grapple with the vicious mindset of his nearly all-male world, where competitors take pride in a scorched earth approach which involves selfishly decimating any and all opposition and second place as cause for vicious disdain.
Needless to say, it couldn’t be anything resembling new territory, but it gives us the best of the genre, showcasing softness alongside the sweaty, personal nature of wrestling as Anthony and his mother Judy claw their way to empowerment fueled by the grit that sports stories are made of.
Rating: B+
