This is continuously fighting to not pigeonhole itself into the tropes of Hollywood biopics and sports movies. It often doesn't succeed, but the movie still somehow really works. You can tell Zac Efron's very eager to prove himself as a dramatic actor, and he delivers some of his finest work here. Jeremy Allen White and Holt McCallany are also excellent, a lot of the heavy dramatic weight feels earned because all of the characters and performances are so good. It's a tough watch, but one that's sure to resonate. The movie is at its best when focussing on the personal lives of these characters, with the parental relationship often reminding me of King Richard. This movie pushes that dynamic to a far more challenging and emotional place than that film was willing to go, so that's great. The technical filmmaking is pretty decent. I liked the cinematography choices but due to the lack of a refreshing vision it doesn't breathe new life into the more formulaic aspects of the film. The uninspired score doesn't help either, all of the dramatic cues have those typical sad piano chords and generic strings. Overall, this easily clears a lot of the Best Picture nominees thanks to making a stronger emotional impact, but there's a lot of stuff that could've been better.
Review by JordyVIP 8BlockedParent2024-02-15T23:26:17Z— updated 2024-02-17T17:44:53Z
This is continuously fighting to not pigeonhole itself into the tropes of Hollywood biopics and sports movies. It often doesn't succeed, but the movie still somehow really works. You can tell Zac Efron's very eager to prove himself as a dramatic actor, and he delivers some of his finest work here. Jeremy Allen White and Holt McCallany are also excellent, a lot of the heavy dramatic weight feels earned because all of the characters and performances are so good. It's a tough watch, but one that's sure to resonate. The movie is at its best when focussing on the personal lives of these characters, with the parental relationship often reminding me of King Richard. This movie pushes that dynamic to a far more challenging and emotional place than that film was willing to go, so that's great. The technical filmmaking is pretty decent. I liked the cinematography choices but due to the lack of a refreshing vision it doesn't breathe new life into the more formulaic aspects of the film. The uninspired score doesn't help either, all of the dramatic cues have those typical sad piano chords and generic strings. Overall, this easily clears a lot of the Best Picture nominees thanks to making a stronger emotional impact, but there's a lot of stuff that could've been better.
6.5/10