Sports Media Report
When coaches and athletes look for inspirational, relatable films based on real life encounters, they usually flip on Miracle, or Rudy, or even Coach Carter. Well, come this week they won’t have to go into the wayback machine to find a new entry in that genre.
Meet Unstoppable, the new film based on the real life story of Anthony Robles, the wrestler born with one leg who overcame the largest of odds to eventually win the NCAA wrestling championship at Arizona State in 2011. The film, of which Robles himself is a producer and based on the book of the same name, is n emotional feel good roller coaster that takes us through the almost impossible challenges a young Robles faced on and off the mat, never giving up, always leading and constantly finding how to learn and grow as he made his way through high school, and eventually to the largest stage in wrestling this side of the Olympics. The journey is enhanced even further by the performance of young actor Jharrel Jerome, who plays Robles, and Jennifer Lopez, who plays Robles, emotional leader, his mom Judy.
At a time where college athletics has taken a step into the corporate world with high level Name, Image and Likeness deals for athletes, Unstoppable serves as a reminder of how sport, especially a sport like wrestling, can be inspirational to so many who are leaning into the teamwork, the training and the life lessons for something way beyond the dollar. And, according to one of the stars of the film, it may lead to a re-launch of the inspirational sports drama on the big screen.
Per Sports Business Journal, Don Cheadle, who plays Robles real life coach at Arizona State Sean Charles, thinks the real life feel good stories like Unstoppable could start a trend.
“I think in our business, there’s a lot of driving in the rearview mirror. So if it works and people dig it, I think everybody will say ‘Well, let’s do another ‘Unstoppable.’ It absolutely has the potential to be something that works,” he said.
For Robles himself, the idea of his story making it to the highest levels was almost unimaginable when he started his journey in high school. However the messages that come through, and the messages he continues to provide today to the high school team he coaches, to young athletes, and to those looking just to get ahead, are very understandable and inspiring at the same time.
This week he was in New York to spend time speaking to and coaching young wrestlers at Beat the Streets, the largest inner city wrestling program in the country, and as he looked around the padded midtown Manhattan 4th floor space that serves as the athletes workout room, he beamed with both pride and memories.
“I see these kids, from such diverse backgrounds, boys and girls, all working out and wondering, ‘could I be the one,’” he said during a break from training. “I am here not just to tell them but to SHOW them that if I can do it so can they…by being focused, decision oriented and having self belief to keep going. It’s not easy–nothing worthwhile is–but it is so possible, and this program gives them that chance to have a shot at tremendous success, both academically and athletically. I hope when they see the film they remember this day and those lessons, because they are very real.”
Realness and authenticity are two key elements of the film. Robles was intimately involved in the production, so that there is little creative license taken with most of the elements of the drama. What you see is pretty much how it played out, and that emotion is what makes the film so special.
While the distribution will be with Amazon, it is safe to say snippets of Unstoppable will be showing up on laptops and video boards and in locker rooms for decades to come. At a time when we need realness, emotion and authentic feel-good stories, Unstoppable is unceasing and will enter the genre of athlete “must watch” films for all, wrestlers or not.
We love our heroes, and Anthony Robles is one. Rudy, move over.
