Race, biopic of Olympic hero Jesse Owens, takes the safe route, says CBC's Eli Glasner
Canadian up-and-comer Stephan James shines as Jesse Owens
As Jesse Owens, the African-American track-and-field superstar of the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Race star Stephan James radiates confidence.
Canadian up-and-comer James and funnyman Jason Sudeikis, as Owens' unconventional coach, deliver strong performances in the Stephen Hopkins film.
Unfortunately, Race feels like a lustrous after-school special, suffering from an uninspired treatment that favours a cozy, glossy look over gritty authenticity.
What also doesn't help is the sprawling script saddled with side stories: from the battle over whether to boycott an Olympics held in Nazi-ruled Germany to a subplot about propaganda filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl, whose footage would become the groundbreaking doc Olympia.
In the end, Race is a little too obvious, says CBC's Eli Glasner.
Watch the video above for Glasner's complete review.
RATING: 3 out of 5 stars
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