The title really should be “The Unstoppables,” because this based-on-a-true underdog athlete makes it to the top and then becomes a motivational speaker story really has two heroes, Anthony Robles (Jharrel Jerome), the champion wrestler born with one leg, and his mother, Judy Robles (Jennifer Lopez), a survivor of domestic violence whose resolve on behalf of her son and later, on her own, is just as movie-worthy.
No spoilers are possible here; even if the title didn’t give it away, the story begins with Anthony winning a national championship, cheered on by his mother and his high school coach (Michael Peña as Bobby Williams). From that point on, it has all the conventional beats of a sports biopic, the wins and losses and ultimate triumph, the training montage, the sports news headlines extoling his victories, the people who don’t believe in him learning that he is extraordinary, and the pictures over the credits of the real people in the story with heartwarming updates.
There’s nothing wrong with that formula; it’s unlikely that many people would buy a ticket to see a dramatic film based on a true story about dismal performance and continual disappointments. It’s just as unlikely that anyone would be able to resist the Hollywoodization of a story like this one, and boosted by top-level performers, it is a solid watch. A bonus is that the stunt double for Jerome was Robles himself, so watching some of the workouts and meets takes on a welcome authenticity.
Anthony lives in Mesa, Arizona, with his mother and his stepfather, Rick (Bobby Cannavale), an aggressive, dictatorial law enforcement officer. Rick is instantly furious and threatening when he believes anyone is being disrespectful or disobedient, even questioning him, and he brags about how tough he is with prisoners. Rick and Judy have four younger children who treat Anthony as their brother, but even though Anthony has taken his name, Rick reminds him that he is not Anthony’s father and that Anthony does not have a father.
The first match we see follows a pattern that is clearly familiar to Anthony and Judy. Girls in the stands make snarky remarks when they see him approach the national championship match on crutches. “Is this a joke, maybe a charity sports thing?” And then Anthony wins so they – and we – see what he can do.
At this point, Anthony is a star high school athlete hoping to be invited to join a highly competitive college team. He gets a full ride offer from Drexel, and Rick urges him to take it. But Anthony is concerned about Judy and his siblings and wants to stay close to home. He enrolls in Arizona State with no guarantee he will be on the team. Coach Shawn Charles (Don Cheadle) is skeptical that Anthony can make it as a walk-on. There are struggles and painful obstacles. Anthony understands the assignment and is determined to make sure that having one leg is not the first thing people think of about him.
The pieces of the story do not always fit together smoothly. The domestic violence and abuse sections and the character of Rick himself are more formulaic than the sports scenes. Cannavale is always great, but Rick is one-dimensional, with little to do except glower and bark. A scene where Judy triumphs over another bad guy may be why Lopez agreed to do the movie (also, she was married to co-producer Ben Affleck at the time, and his Artists Equity production company is behind it). It is a fun scene to watch and must have been fun to act, but it is a complete departure from the true story, where no such encounter ever occurred.
The sports scenes are more effective. Cheadle is excellent, making the coach crisp and authoritative, but when the time comes to show heart or admit a mistake, he is masterful. Anthony spends a lot of time reacting silently and Jerome has the expressive face and eyes to make that work. There is a nice moment when Anthony is so good that some other teams start arguing that he has an unfair advantage, with only one leg to grab onto and less weight than the two-legged competitors, keeping him in the lighter weight class. There’s a “Rudy”-like moment when his teammates support him, and something of a “wax on, wax off” scene as Anthony’s job washing down airplanes contributes to his strength and endurance.
Anthony is as good at upending expectations as he is at upending opponents on the mat. If this movie would rather meet our expectations, it does so with sincerity that makes it a slim win on points.
