Maybe the best thing Jennifer Lopez gets in her divorce from Ben Affleck is a performance of a lifetime in “Unstoppable.”
The premiere at Roy Thomson Hall Friday night produced a wild standing ovation for Lopez as the mother of Anthony Robles, the famous NCAA wrestling champion born with one leg.
Jharrel Jerome turns in a sensational performance himself as Anthony, who fought incredible odds to become a world champ. It’s an inspiring a story as “Rocky,” a movie that is referenced in “Unstoppable” deliberately and effectively.
Lopez’s divorce gift is because Ben Affleck and Matt Damon produced this film through their Artists Equity label. And while Lopez’s marriage ended, her album, tour, and documentary flopped, she must have sensed that 2024 would give her a happy ending.
No one had JLo on their scorecard for Best Supporting Actress this year. But Lopez gives and stirring and gritty performance as Judy Robles — whom the actress resembles in real life — the mother who overcame poverty and domestic abuse to guide the eldest of her five children to victory.
“Unstoppable,” based on Robles’ book and directed by William Goldenberg — could be this year’s “CODA” or “Green Book” combined with great sports movies like “Rocky” and “Rudy.” While Anthony Robles’s wrestling story is the general conceit, the movie is a textured telling of a mother and son’s relationship as well.
“Unstoppable” also largely features Bobby Cannavale who makes Judy’s abusive and frustrated husband human (although despicable). It’s one of Cannavale’s best pieces work ever. Also included is the great Don Cheadle as Anthony’s college coach, and MIchael Pena as his high school coach.
Imagine the difficulty of making this movie of Jerome learning to wrestle on such a high level, but also re-enacting Robles’s handicap. Jerome did some of the wrestling himself, and the film works with clever edits so that sometimes Goldenberg CGI’d his leg to look absent. But also the real Robles — now a coach and inspirational speaker — did some of it himself. Luckily Goldenberg — who counts among his great editing jobs the Affleck-Damon “Air” — had the expertise to pull it off.
At the after party across the street at the Ritz Carlton Lopez — known for being a diva — could not have been more accommodating and down to Earth. She took pictures with everyone and spent a lot of time in girlchat with Damon’s wife, Luciana. Of course, she sparkled in the most glamorous and revealing dress of the night because, you know, she’s JLo. But this throws a curve ball into everyone’s game plan on various levels on celebrity and acting.
A+ for “Unstoppable,”: which could prove its name as the new season unfolds. Bravo to Amazon Studios. This could be their first big one since “Manchester by the Sea.”
Quick Friday Takes
RJ Cutler and David Furnish have made a surprisingly moving documentary about Elton John called “Never Too Late,” which debuted tonight after “Unstoppable.” I’ll tell you more later but the film is told mostly in Elton’s voice from old interviews and covers his initial heyday from 1970 to 1977. It’s disarming, fun, and revealing. “Never Too Late” will play on Disney Plus.
International musician K’Naan is an artist on many levels. Now he’s directed his first feature called “Mother Mother” set in Somalia and filmed partially there and in Kenya. For a small gem of a quiet film K’Naan has a substantial Hollywood backing including a producer in Jeffrey Soros (who I’m guessing helped with financing) and Jenny Lumet and Alex Kurtzman.
K’Naan wrote and directed the film, and his cinematographer was Oscar nominated César Charlone. The story, in a rural setting, features a lot of talented livestock including some camels that could win awards. But it’s the cast of humans that makes for a memorable time including an actress named Maan Youssouf Ahmed who should win the Gotham and Spirit Awards, or at least be nominated.
Paramount’s Republic label has this one, and I hope they do something with it right away. Again, more later…
J
