There’s nothing quite like the impact of a good sports biopic drama. A classic underdog story where the protagonist rises up against all odds and wins. But to a degree, sports biopics have reached a saturation point in the last few years. One can smell the next plot point a mile away, can predict the next dramatic meltdown right from the way the camera pauses for a close-up shot. Sadly, these are some of the cases that plague the new Prime Video entry Unstoppable, based on the extraordinary real-life journey of wrestler Anthony Robles, who was born with one leg.
Make no mistake. Unstoppable is very likeable and ultimately packs an emotional wallop. It has all the ingredients to make an amazing genre entry, but it stays so expectedly overwrought in its own formula that the story rarely takes shape. Marking the directorial debut of Oscar-winning Argo editor William Goldenberg, and produced by Ben Affleck, Unstoppable features a fierce central performance from Jharrel Jerome as Anthony, and an equally impressive supporting turn from Jennifer Lopez as his mother Judy. However, the film feels too caught up trying to impress, too one-note to add any texture to these characters to make them feel more than what they are offered on screen.
Unstoppable starts off with Anthony’s final years in high school, where he impresses with his agile moves in the match. His mother roots for him to excel, and his coach (Michael Peña) supports his dreams. But back home, he has to deal with his abusive stepfather (Bobby Cannavale), which amounts to his anxieties about his next steps. Should he take the offer of a full college scholarship at Drexel or pursue at Iowa, where he believes the best wrestlers go? During his search, his way will lead to coach Shawn Charles (Don Cheadle), whose push will keep Anthony striving for more.