Race is a movie about courage, determination, tolerance, and friendship, and an inspiring drama about one man's fight to become an Olympic legend while battling with racism.
The bare necessities are there, the performances are competent, and there are some strong moments but Race suffers from a lack of ambition. It's too safe and that quality mutes its impact and limits its ability to be more than a history lesson.
Race isn't a bad film or biopic for that matter. It's beautifully shot, informative, and has some fantastic actors helming it. However, that's exactly what you'd expect.
Race means well, and it certainly wants to tell Owens' story as completely as it can. Yet Hopkins and company never quite get there, the whole enterprise coming up a little short of the finish line as it lumbers its way down the track.
A glossy, superficial biopic set in a historical context that begs for more, Race can at least claim to be one of the two best movies ever made about Olympic hero/Hitler-embarrasser Jesse Owens.
