There’s a reason why underdog sports dramas are such consistent, bankable favorites. When done right, they leave an audience feeling uplifted and spiritually fulfilled, and like they too can do anything they put their mind and body to. We don’t mind and in some cases even want the cliches that come with them, as long as they aren’t overwhelmed with them. Unstoppable, a new drama starring Emmy winner Jharrel Jerome as Anthony Robles, the NCAA wrestling champion born with congenital amputation, meaning he has only known life with one leg. His extraordinary story is enough to power William Goldenberg’s feature directing debut, an impressive effort that captures Robles’ unbreakable spirit in the face of physical and societal disadvantages.
Immediately, Unstoppable sets out to prove that Robles is nobody to be pitied. In the opening moments, we see Anthony competing in the high school national championships in Philadelphia. As he heads out to the mat, that’s when we first notice that he only has his left leg. A couple of girls in the crowd wonder if this is some kind of charity case, and that’s when Robles’ mother, Judy, played by a passionate Jennifer Lopez, shouts back “That’s my son!”. When it comes to defending her kid she always seems to be on the verge of throwing punches. In this case, she cheers him on and watches as Anthony proves all of the doubters wrong. Wrestling is a sport where balance is key, and Anthony having one leg is a definite disadvantage. But he has come up with a style all his own, using quick movements and leverage to win. Not only does he win the match, but a lot of newfound supporters in the crowd.
This opening scene is important to frame our perspective of Anthony. We no longer see him as a wrestler with a handicap, just a fantastic wrestler…period. At no point does Anthony ever use it as an excuse when things get hard, which they do. Anthony’s goal has always been to wrestle for Ohio State, because they have the best program with the best wrestlers. But the night of the high school nationals, Anthony is instead approached by a Drexel scout who offers a full ride. Anthony is reluctant and unimpressed, even though it would be a huge burden off of his struggling family. Judy has multiple young children in the house to care for with a low wage job, and her husband, Anthony’s brutal stepfather Rick (Bobby Cannavale) is a prison guard and not much help. He pretends to be supportive of Anthony but all he ever does is put him down, question his manhood, and quietly nod at his failures. He’s one of those fathers who never amounted to much and now wants the same for others, and since Anthony isn’t his flesh and blood he goes extra tough against him.
So Anthony’s got a lot on his shoulders, with the world seemingly against him. And yet he’s got quite a circle of supporters, too. His mother Judy always stands by his side, even as she struggles to maintain a roof over their heads. Michael Pena is always in Anthony’s corner as his high school wrestling coach and personal friend, Bobby Williams. And then there’s Don Cheadle as Arizona State coach Shawn Charles, who first warns Anthony that he doesn’t have a spot on his team because of their stacked recruiting class. A deliverer of philosophical quotes and zen words of wisdom, Shawn comes across as one of those genre cliches at first. When Anthony decides to turn down Drexel to be a walk-on at ASU, Shawn is initially a disbeliever who has to be convinced. The bulk of Unstoppable is Anthony doing just that, literally scaling mountains and outracing national recruits to earn his spot on the squad.
Unstoppable is produced by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s Artists Equity, the company they founded a couple of years ago. Affleck worked with Goldenberg on Air, Live by Night, and Argo for which he won the Academy Award for Best Film Editing. Goldenberg’s approach isn’t flashy, but the grounded, simple approach fits Robles’ journey which is marked by real-world trials that everyone can understand and relate to in some way. Making a sports movie about wrestling is different than even your typical boxing drama. There’s no team aspect to boxing, but for wrestling, there is. And yet, when it all boils down to it, it’s an individual competition. It’s always Anthony vs. the world, even as his teammates and family cheer him on. The biggest competition Anthony has is with himself, and his quest toward victory is never seen as an easy one.
Of course, Unstoppable tugs at the heartstrings because these movies have a special ability to do that. All of the familiar story beats are there, but it goes too far to call them predictable. How things play out for Anthony at home, as well as his rivalry with Ohio State bruiser Matt McDonough (Johnni DiJulius), take unexpected courses. Another subplot involving Judy’s investigation into predatory lending practices feels tacked on, but goes a long way to establish how much she’s learned from the endless amount of fight in her son. Neither of them will quit, no matter how much life throws at them.
Throughout, Jerome gives a quietly intense performance, and transforms his body to handle one of the most grueling sports in the world. Anthony doesn’t say much; he cracks a few jokes here and there, but for the most part, he’s like a sponge soaking everything in. It takes a while for us to get it, but Anthony’s demeanor reflects his confidence. Wrestling is a masculine sport of big egos and Anthony isn’t that at all. He doesn’t need to be. While he might get knocked down every once in a while, nothing stops him from getting back up and being triumphant the next time. On a couple of occasions, Anthony breaks away from the noise to soak in the monument to his hero, Rocky Balboa, another scrapper from the streets who defied the odds and rose to championship glory. Unstoppable has a lot of the same spirit, and knowing that Anthony Robles is out there now, using his success to inspire others, makes this more than just another crowd-pleaser.
Amazon MGM Studios will release Unstoppable on December 6th.
