‘Sprinter’ Movie Review

Sprinter
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Sprinter

“Sprinter” is a Jamaican heart-warming sports film directed by Storm Saulter, with Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith as executive producers. The movie “Sprinter” is about a Jamaican athlete Akeem Sharp who runs track at high school but it could possibly be in jeopardy due to complications off of the track with family ties.

Sharp is a remarkable 200-meter runner who could only get better with time on his side. He really wanted to do the 400-meter dash like his brother but he could not so David Alan Grier who is playing as the sprinter’s coach decided to put him in a 200-meter which was the best decision he could have ever made.

The young athlete earned nicknames — Sprinter and Rasta Rocket — because of how fast he was on the track. Sharp was becoming a national hero, more so every event.

 

However, in his life off of the field, he had major family problems and ties which was one of his biggest distractions. Sharp’s mother, Lorraine Toussaint, playing Donna in the movie decided to leave Jamaica when her son was only a little boy to work in the U.S. to make money for the family so they could buy or rent a house.

A decade passed and she never came back because supposedly her visa expired but, that was not the truth. His mom never came back because she was having issues with his father Garfield Sharp so they decided to get a divorce.

The sprinter’s parents did not want to tell him because they did not want to distract him and stop his potential at possibly becoming maybe the next Usain Bolt. Little did they know if he finds out they hid the truth from him that it could potentially hurt their relationship even more in the long run.

As time went on Sharp’s father became very lonely, exhausted from taking care of two children on his own for years. His drinking increased and is a problem for his sons.

Germaine, Sharp’s older brother, was an amazing 400-meter runner in high school but ended up suffering an injury. He decided that he no longer wanted to do track. After he was injured he decided that he was just going to take the easy way out and start working for a local gangster.

“Sprinter’ is a family film. If a person is into sports or track, this movie would be a good recommendation for them to enjoy. My favorite part was the ending of the movie as it is heartwarming.

Written By Charles Lott
Edited by Cathy Milne-Ware

Resources

The Guardian: Sprinter review – speedy sporting drama runs out of puff

IMDB: Sprinter (2018) – Plot Summary

Variety: ‘Sprinter’ Review

Featured Image Courtesy of Steve Conover’s Flickr Page -Creative Commons License

Inline Image Courtesy of Dean Hochman Flickr Page – Creative Commons License

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