Jesse Owens once said "we all have dreams. But in order to make those dreams a reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline and effort. For years Jesse Owens, fought hard for his dream to become an accomplished track star who broke records in the matter of seconds while he was racing. In the biopic RACE, up and coming actor Stephan James plays the iconic athlete and he takes on the journey of Jesse Owens over the course of two years. From his humble beginnings to his days at Ohio State to the Olympics. The film gives us an inside look on who Jesse Owens was.
For Stephen James, it was a lot to prepare for the movie. I mean with portraying the athlete who was dubbed the fastest man on the earth, you have to know more than just how to run a 100 or 200 meter around the track. In an article in the The Christian Science Monitor, James talks about his training and preparation for the movie. He stated, "I grew up on basketball. I was athletic, but never track and field. Sprinting was a whole other beast," James said. "Not only did I have to learn how to run fast, but I had to learn to run like Jesse. His style was so particular ... his start, his mechanics, his stride, how his face looked. There are people the world over who are Jesse enthusiasts. You can't fake that."
With a dedicated actor like Stephen James as the main character, the rest of the cast of RACE complimented James and his work as an actor. Other notable performances included Coach Larry Synder played by Jason Sudeikis and Shanice Banton as Minnie Ruth Solomon-Owens. The performances of these two characters showed more of the professional and personal experiences of Jesse Owens. It made the movie well-rounded and covered the aspects of Jesse Owens race in life both on the track field and off.
Many biopics are done without the help of one's family or loved ones but with this biopic, the three daughters of Jesse Owens were very much involved in how their father was displayed on the big screen. Gloria, Marlene and Betty Owens were very instrumental and gave a lot of input to how their father's narrative was portrayed. In an article for nbcnews.com it stated that the three daughters were "poured over the story-line and dialogue with the film's director, producers and screenwriters by phone and in person". The Owens daughters even critiqued the performance of Stephen James. "Owens daughters credit James for capturing Owens personality, including his resilience and his level-headed demeanor".
With the help of Jesse Owens daughters and the dedication of the actors and actresses in this film, this movie is a must see. It shows the triumphant journey of Jesse Owens and shows his personal and professional races, but more importantly it shows who Jesse Owens in all aspects of his life as a father, husband, student, athlete and icon. Please go out in theaters and support this film. Check out the trailer below:
