Movie Review: Race (PG13)
Like its title suggests, this film is just as much about sports as it is about racial politics.
Stephan James stars as the legendary US athlete Jesse Owens, who overcame racial discrimination as a black American to win four Olympic gold medals in the 1936 Berlin games - the one run by Hitler's Nazi regime.
While Race has elements of your standard sports hero movie, with tough love from Owens' coach, Larry (Jason Sudeikis), and romantic love from girlfriend Ruth (Shanice Banton), its sensitive portrayal of race takes it to another level.
It would be easy to portray white Americans and German Nazis as heartless brutes, but Race humanises some of these characters wonderfully.
As a rags-to-riches tale set against a fascinating historic backdrop, Race is a joy from start to finish.
Rating: 4/5
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