'Unstoppable' review: Wrestling movie holds your attention with all the classic sports drama moves
One month after the terrific motivational boxing movie “The Fire Inside” comes a more conventional but equally inspiring dramatization of a true-life story in “Unstoppable,” which is not to be confused with the 2010 thriller of the same name, as we do not have Denzel Washington and Chris Pine teaming up to stop a runaway train.
This is the biopic of the wrestler Anthony Robles, who won an NCAA wrestling championship in 2011 despite having only one leg. With noted editor William Goldenberg (who won the Academy Award for “Argo”) making his feature directorial debut and the talented Jharrel Jerome (“Moonlight,” “When They See Us”) delivering a quietly commanding performance as Robles, this is a bit of a comfort viewing film in that it checks off all the inspirational sports-movie boxes. We know exactly where this story is going, and we’re happy to come along for the ride.
Based on the book of the same name by Robles and Austin Murphy, with a screenplay by Eric Champnella, Alex Harris and John Hindman, and with Robles as Jerome’s stunt double in the wrestling scenes, “Unstoppable” picks up Anthony’s story as he’s winning a national high school championship, with the support of his coach Bobby Williams (Michael Peńa) and his mom Judy (Jennifer Lopez).
Anthony is offered a full ride to Drexel University in Philadelphia, but he chooses to try out for the much bigger program at Arizona State University so he can stay close to his family and help his mother, who is married to a volatile prison guard named Rich (Bobby Cannavale). Anthony’s father is long out of the picture, and Judy and Rich have had four children of their own. Anthony’s four half-siblings adore him, but Rich can scarcely contain his resentment for Anthony.
The superb casting in “Unstoppable” continues with Don Cheadle as Sean Charles, the obligatory tough-but-fair coach at ASU who tells Anthony he has little chance to make the program as a walk-on, as he’ll be competing with elite scholarship athletes. Cue the rousing sequences of Anthony making an arduous hike with his teammates on crutches, Anthony outworking everyone else, Anthony demonstrating jaw-dropping agility and strength on the mat. (We even get not one but two visual nods to “Rocky” in this movie.)
Director Goldenberg and editor Brett M. Reed do a fine job of toggling back and forth between the sports sequences and the domestic drama. After unconvincing performances in the Netflix duds “The Mother” and “Atlas,” Jennifer Lopez proves she’s still capable of playing a working-class character. The fierce love Judy has for Anthony — for all her children — feels palpable, even as she gives the loathsome Rich far too many second chances. (Cannavale has played a blustery miscreant time and again, but that doesn’t make this performance any less effective.)
There’s no wrestling villain in “Unstoppable” — no Clubber Lang or Ivan Drago figure snorting and snarling and making cruel comments about Anthony’s challenges. We’re not rooting against anyone in this movie, except of course the dastardly Rich. We’re cheering for Anthony and his unwavering determination to reach the top. Rocky would be proud.