by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
Sometimes there is an athlete who accomplishes something truly remarkable and garners the attention of the whole nation. Anthony Robles might not be a celebrity athlete from a big sport where they make millions of dollars — the sport of Greco-Roman wrestling is not a high-profile sport in the realm of college either — but an athlete like Robles stands out because his success was not expected due to some serious limitation. He was born with one leg and still became a national champion wrestler. That is the type of inspiring story that will get the attention of high-profile storytellers and producers like Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, who helped get Unstoppable out to the world.
Outside of his disability, Robles came from a home that struggled financially and was full of abuse and trauma. His story did not start in a setting that was ideal for success. A family full of kids. A mother struggling to make money and provide. A father figure who is both emotionally and physically abusive. All those elements shine through in Unstoppable. The screenwriting team of Eric Champnella, Alex Harris, and John Hindman brings Robles’ story to life. Unfortunately, there are many narrative beats in the film that feel tired and overdone. The film lacks nuances in how its main character navigates these challenging roadblocks. But it ultimately connects because the journey that Robles goes on is so inspiring. We feel deep empathy as he struggles to keep up with his teammates, compete against his opponents, and stand up to his abusive father figure.
In many ways, Unstoppable is the kind of sleek and modern film that you might expect to see on a streaming service like Prime Video (which is where itfinds its home). But there is still a good sense of tension that director William Goldenberg explores in certain scenes, especially when Robles gets into confrontations with his father. But the film’s real standout moments are centered around the wrestling matches, which feel more dynamic from a filmmaking standpoint than most other scenes in the film. The camerawork feels engrossing, and you have the feeling of being on the mats with Robles as he goes to battle with his opponents. The choreography is quite effective, delivering some exciting “action.” Utilizing the real Robles as the action double brings some serious authenticity and excitement to those scenes.
But Jharrel Jerome is the real anchoring force in Unstoppable. His performance as Robles is powerful. He sells all the physicality that is expected with portraying someone like Robles, but the emotional elements stand out. The Moonlight alum shows his chops as he displays a variety of emotions in his face.
Meanwhile, Jennifer Lopez is given a more stereotypical “struggling mother” role, but there are plenty of emotional elements, and Lopez gets to shine in a few scenes. Bobby Cannavale is a walking cliché jerk… but he plays it so darn well. Don Cheadle and Michael Peña are some talented actors who are given little to work with, but they still deliver solid performances. A nice addition is Mykelti Williamson as Roble’s boss and mentor. He brings plenty of personality to this small role.
Does Unstoppable stand out in the realm of inspiring sport biopics? Not quite. There are others that have done more interesting and dynamic storytelling to bring their stories to life. But that does not mean Unstoppable is not worth watching, because the story of Anthony Robles is so inspiring and affecting. The plotting might feel overly familiar, but a few big emotional scenes and some strong wrestling sequences make this film stand out in its own way.
Rating: Liked It
Unstoppable is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video
You can read more from Shane Conto, and follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd