The double entendre of this film’s title is apt. It details the athletic success of Jesse Owen as he works his way to his record-setting 1936 Olympics, as well as the racial travails that made his journey such a challenge. It’s very informative, especially the details about the reactions of the Nazis, who were hosting those fateful games in Berlin. While it’s well made and has a solid (if traditional) structure, it lacks the fervor that would have ignited the story’s passion. The cast does fine and the direction is competent. It’s more a fascinating history lesson than a stirring film. (The CGI locations are the most obviously fake in recent memory.)
(3 / 5)