Movie review: RUN THE RACE - a college football movie

This is a faith-based dramatic sports movie directed by Chris Dowling, released on March 22, 2019. It centers around two brothers Zach (Tanner Stine) and David (Evan Hofer) who face a very difficult life that includes the death of their mother Turret. Anbandoned by their Father Mike who eventually turned to alcohol drinking and became addicted to it. His alcoholism brought him to extreme poverty as seen at some point begging his sons some money which is something that makes his sons hate him the more.
image source

Faced with tough situations, Dave responds to them by committing himself to God, growing his relationship with him on a daily basis whereas his brother Zack reacts in the opposite direction that is through running away from God due to his pain and frustrations. Zack also turns to God at a later moment following his brother’s example and faith.

These have their grandmother Louise who tries to care for them by ensuring that these stay employed at some small grocery store where she Keeps following them up, nurturing them in order for them to become better people amidst the tough life struggles they are faced with.

These boys are also cared for and encouraged by their high school football Coach and some other gentlemen who demonstrate this by closely following them up and providing them with the necessary advice and godly counsel. Their Coach confronts Mike (father of the two brothers) and advises him to change his lifestyle, become a responsible father by playing his role of fathering his 2 sons who are greatly in need of his help.

Faced with a big financial crisis, Dave and Zack decide to concentrate on playing football, working hard on a daily basis with the main goal of attaining an athlete’s college scholarship as a way out of their financial constraints. Unfortunately, these brothers goal is shattered by the grave injuries they acquire as they are pursuing their college scholarship goal.

Dave tries to forgive his father for his grave mistake of abandoning them but Zack struggles to do the same as he expresses a lot of bitterness towards him for being careless, and a drunkard father. Zack finally forgives him after a very long time of struggling with that pain in his heart. Zack and his Dad choose to forgive each other and reconciled with their relationship.

images source

My thoughts

Communication is very important in our relationships and in this course of life. These two brothers stuck together and were always very open to each other, interacting, encouraging themselves all through their life struggles and that’s a great lesson to pick up here. Life is indeed a journey and this journey cannot be walked alone otherwise you can easily break down and give up.

These brothers worked as a team through doing daily training together as they kept on pursuing their athletes’ college scholarship. Indeed together as a team, we can accomplish a lot in life as it helps us to become stronger in our weaker points. It should be noted that every person on this planet has strengths and weaknesses. The other person’s weak point may be your strength and the reverse is true. Therefore teaming up and doing this together promotes diversity and make us much stronger and undefeatable.

Perseverance is a very core life aspect and the fruit that every person must have in abundance. This life is full of so many challenges and struggles that require only perseverance to maneuver them and overcome the fears and the pain they inflict on us. These brothers indeed persevered through the terrible circumstances that they were faced with and in the end, there was a relief and some sort of celebration as they finally forgave and reconciled with their dad.

Forgiveness is a powerful love aspect that we need to exercise often times when we get disappointed or ill-treated by our fellow human beings. There is a saying, “No man is an island”, indeed that’s true because we all stumble in various matters of life. Even if it’s hard to forgive, we should learn to forgive those who have ill-treated us because in so doing we reap peace and reconciliation of the valuable friendships they might have lost.
Conclusion

I provide this movie with a 4.4 –star rating and recommend it to every young person, sports fans, and lovers of faith-based movies to check out this movie as it has plenty of biblical lessons that it brings to your attention most especially perseverance in this journey of life as the bible clearly states it in Hebrews 12:1.