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The Reel Review

B+

A high school wrestler born with only one leg must overcome poverty and an abusive stepfather as he pursues a college wrestling scholarship and an NCAA championship in this sports drama starring Jharrel Jerome, Jennifer Lopez, Don Cheadle and Bobby Cannavale. The film is an adaptation of wrestler Anthony Robles’ 2012 autobiography Unstoppable: From Underdog to Undefeated: How I Became a Champion.

Jharrel Jerome and Jennifer Lopez in Unstoppable

Is Unstoppable a predictable, emotionally manipulative tearjerker? Absolutely. Is the manipulation justified? Absolutely. Unstoppable is not just a story of a motivated young man who, despite almost overwhelming odds, achieves his dreams. It’s also the story of how he inspires others, including his own mother (Lopez) who miraculously finds the gumption to pull her life together after dealing with an physically and emotionally abusive, deadbeat husband (Cannavale). There are moments you will want to tear the cretin apart yourself.

Jharrel Jerome and Johnni DiJulius in Unstoppable

After a recent spate of terrible movies (Atlas, This is Me… Now, Shotgun Wedding) Lopez is back on her game and doing what she does best – playing a down-to-earth, relatable character in an inspiring, feel-good crowdpleaser.

REEL FACTS

December 2024 Instagram photo of Anthony Robles with his wife and son.

• The real Anthony Robles was the wrestling stunt double for Jharrel Jerome in the film.

• In reality, Anthony Robles had never wrestled Iowa’s Matt McDonough before that NCAA final (it was Robles’ first trip to the finals) and the final score was a more lopsided 8-1.

Unstoppable is the third film starring Jennifer Lopez and Bobby Cannavale, after 2004’s Shall We Dance? and 2013’s Parker.

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