Oscar-winning editor William Goldenberg directs Emmy winner Jharrel Jerome and Academy Award nominees Jennifer Lopez and Don Cheadle in the inspirational sports biopic "Unstoppable." Eric Campanella, Alex Harris, and John Hindman pen the film's screenplay based on the 2012 book of the same name by Anthony Robles and Austin Murphy.
Anthony Robles (Jharrel Jerome) is a high school senior born with one leg but excels in wrestling. He resides in Arizona with his mother, Judy (Lopez), stepfather Rick (Bobby Cannavale), and many step-siblings. After winning his latest championship, Anthony's high school wrestling Coach (Michael Peña) thinks that the wrestler should go to Drexel, who have him offered him a full ride, but Anthony is holding out for his dream school, Iowa.
As it often does, fate intervenes, and Anthony ends up at Arizona State under the doubtful eye of Coach Shawn Charles (Don Cheadle), who can only offer a walk on spit. However, with the unwavering love and support of his family and the encouragement of his coaches, Anthony fights through adversity to earn a spot on the Arizona State Wrestling team. He gives everything he has, physically and mentally, to achieve his ultimate quest to become an NCAA Champion.
Viewers should know that " Unstoppable " follows the underdog formula, which is fine as our lead actor is committed to delivering a standout performance. Jerome, who has natural charm, takes us on Anthony's journey. The magic of movies, stunt doubles, and special effects seamlessly removes one of Jerome's legs, and the trickery is undetectable. The actor effectively portrays Robles by hopping, grimacing, and finding ways to navigate as a character with one leg realistically. His performance is admirable, making the character likable and steadfast.
Lopez embodies a natural maternal aura in her current career stage, a quality that is evident in her portrayal in this film. Although initially feeling somewhat out of place, her character develops a subplot that compensates for this. Additionally, Peña and Cheadle deliver compelling performances as coaches, while Bobby Cannavale's portrayal of an overbearing stepfather with a misguided view of alpha masculinity is notable.
While "Unstoppable" features moments that typically receive applause, the secondary villains are underdeveloped. Shawn Hatosy, usually dependable, appears as a rival coach seemingly solely for monetary gain, lacking depth. Similarly, the main rival, Matt McDonough, comes across as one-dimensional.
Nevertheless, the charm of Jharrel Jerome's performance makes "Unstoppable" a winner.
Final Grade: B+
"Unstoppable" will receive a limited theatrical release by Amazon MGM Studios on December 6, 2024.
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