Strider
“Strider” is built from one of the most durable of modern formulas- the underdog sports movie- without succumbing to it completely. That is the strength of Mark Lewis’s film. I’ve mentioned many times before that this genre is a weak spot for my critical eye- I just respond to this type of story. And I responded to Lewis’s version of it, which is currently available on Amazon Prime. If, like me, you enjoy a good sports movie, this one is worth discovering.
The film begins with Jody Sue Brightwell (Yelena Friedman), the oldest of three kids to a single father (Bill, played by Scott Lewis) whose wife left him, and them, years ago. Most of the time, Jody Sue is trying not to get too aggravated with her younger brothers, who constantly torment her, but often, she is going out running. One day, she is spotted by someone else running, who is amazed by her endurance. The person is Hannah Dalton (Maggie Alexander), a running coach who thinks Jody Sue might be able to compete in an upcoming long-distance race. She normally has the responsibility of watching her brothers at this time, however, but she is interested enough to make it work. Can she keep up that enthusiasm, though? Her father warns Hannah that it might be an issue.
The thing that really makes “Strider” stand out among other sports movies is that the perspective is not necessarily from a driven athlete, but a coach who sees the potential in said athlete. There are times when you get the feeling Jody Sue would be fine not competing, and just continuing to run for exercise and recreation, but the fact that Hannah does not just blow smoke up her ass about her abilities is one of the reasons Jody Sue is willing to let Hannah teach her how to better utilize her body as a runner. The performances by Friedman and Alexander are successful in developing the complicated dynamic between the two, and seeing how it naturally unfolds even under some of the most basic plot mechanics. By the end, you can see where the ending is probably heading, but fair warning, it’s not the one you might think. That’s another reason “Strider” works- it’s less about a tangible victory and more about the growth of the characters. When sports movies really focus in on that, that’s when they go to another level.
