Unstoppable

True life stories about disabled people who overcome the odds are, as a rule, so terrible that one approaches them with dread, so it’s great to be able to say, straight off, that this is one that gets it right. It never feels exploitative, it wastes no time on sentiment, and it effectively captures the attitude of a hero for whom having just one leg is not a primary defining characteristic – even if he does say that he took up wrestling because “it’s the only sport where a guy can’t run away from you.” This is Anthony Robles (ably played by Jharrel Jerome), and the struggles in his life revolve primarily around poverty and coming of age with a deeply problematic father.

The sport of wrestling, unfortunately politicised in recent months, is also handled here with intelligence and grace. It’s a sport which hinges on technique, Anthony’s coaches tell him, and not one in which a contestant can afford to give way to emotion. Anthony’s father (Bobby Cannavale), meanwhile, talks about it in terms of the desire to ‘crush and destroy’ an opponent. He’s a cop who tries to impress his family by making statements like “The needs of the majority outweigh the needs of the minority,” and filling up their small dining room with macho swagger – when he’s not outright knocking their mother (Jennifer Lopez) around. She’s the one who holds the family together, and although it takes a while to become apparent, she has her own arc which is every bit as heroic as Anthony’s.

Like many young people in the US, Anthony depends on the kindness of friends and strangers alike for his success. His talent attracts the offer of a scholarship, and his coaches are supportive throughout, but there’s never a sense that it’s all about something he was lucky to be born with. His work ethic impresses everyone around him (with the exception of his father), and there’s a sweetness and humility about him that wins people over – a quality very different from what outsiders associate with the sport. His difficulty lies in finding a way to assert himself at home without being forced into straying from the path of developing a healthy, responsible kind of masculinity.

This is William Goldenberg’s first film as director, but his editing background is a clear advantage when it comes to the wrestling scenes. There are not too many of these – the focus is more on the surrounding drama - but they’re sufficiently well structured to hold interest for those familiar with the sport without becoming obscure or boring for others. They’re a long way from the pantomime of WWE, but some of the moves will be familiar to fans of that. At one point, one of Anthony’s friends suggests that he go into WWE to make his fortune, but it’s clear that his values are very different.

Some elements in the film may feel clichéd, but that would be tricky to avoid, as it’s a true story and lots of real people experience similar struggles. The balance of the narrative minimises them where it can, and we stick close to Anthony, so everything is shaped by his perspective. Though he may be quiet, he’s not short on personality, and whilst Unstoppable may tread a familiar path, it does so in a refreshingly forthright manner. The excellent supporting cast – with Lopez impressive as ever – elevate the material, so if you go for this kind of story at all, it’s one to look out for.