Must see: Race

Race: Jesse Owens in the 1936 Summer Olympics

Have you seen the film 'Race' yet? If not you absolutely should. The filmmakers did a fantastic job of not getting to caught up in the politics of the time so that Mr. Owens remained the focus of the story. Of course, the blatant racial discrimination of the day is part of the story and it was handled with care. I would have liked to see more of his struggle with the decision to attend the 1936 Summer Olympics.

As a filmmaker, I really honed in on Leni Reifenstahl's interactions with Dr. Goebbels. Whatever you think of her as a person, you have to respect that a woman who caught the eye of Hitler was in a terrible position. She used that power to ensure that Jesse Owens' achievements that day can be seen again and again by the runners following in his footsteps and the rest of us.

It is a powerful film, one that I hope you watch with your family. It opens many options for dialogue about our recent past and how it affects current events. Specifically, the ongoing conversation about race, discrimination, and hatred. You can also watch for the gender divide as well. I throughly enjoyed it and cheered Mr. Owens, despite already knowing the outcome and I think you will too.