In a sports drama like Unstoppable, it is refreshingly delightful to see scenes where the coaches, the ones who usually motivate the athletes with their pep talks, step back and let the mom take over. Anthony (Jharrel Jerome), after a string of losses, wants to quit wrestling so he can finish his education and get a job to take care of his mother Judy (Jennifer Lopez), whose life is turning out to be hopeless by the day. She sees Anthony's success as a consolation for everything she lost. This mutual sense of all for one and one for all between the mother and the son stops Unstoppable from being just another sports film that moves from one match to another.

Cast: Jharrel Jerome, Jennifer Lopez, Bobby Cannavale, Don Cheadle, Michael Pena
Director: William Goldenberg

This William Goldenberg film starts with Anthony graduating from high school. He is a budding wrestler who, despite doubts if he could compete with just one leg, has proven that he can be a champion player. He wants to take his passion to the next level by playing at the collegiate level, for which he turns down the scholarship offer of Drexel University, to the ire of his stepdad Rick Robles (Bobby Cannavale). Instead, he wants to go to Arizona State University, where he can both pursue studies and wrestling. Anthony's decision sets off another friction in the already troubled Robles household, with Rick clearly declaring that he can't finance his studies as there are four more children (Anthony's step brothers and sisters) to feed. How Anthony manages to overcome both his physical and domestic challenges is what Unstoppable is about.

Based on the book of the same name, Unstoppable gains a lot from a screenplay that doesn't separate Anthony's personal devils from those in his sport. Any decision made for one thing affects another thing, which adds more life to the narration. Anthony's decision to join ASU not only stems from the fact he can give wrestling a shot, but he also wants to stay with his mom and be of moral support when she suffers from his abusive stepdad. Rick's eagerness to send Anthony off to Drexel too doesn't come from his care for his academics but to rid himself of him. None of the Robles' get it, except Anthony, as he has been told since childhood by Rick that he does not have a father and that he can never be his father. Jharrel, as Anthony, shows maturity in his acting in spaces where he shows restraint in exposing Rick's real face to his mother because he doesn't want to break the family.

I felt Anthony's suffocation when he kept hearing that he was not enough everywhere he went. It was a brilliant emotional moment when Anthony trails off to his room after a soul-sucking duel with Rick and his little step brother gives him a warm hug and tells him he is proud of him. These wonderful moments served both the storytelling and were also effective as a glimmer of hope whenever Anthony contemplated quitting the sport and shifting focus to academics.

Jennifer Lopez is phenomenal as Judy. Her character wonderfully conveys how children can be a pillar of emotional support to mothers as well. Even in moments when Anthony feels it's okay to settle for a desk job, Judy pushes him onto the mat. While parental pressure might not always be a healthy thing, Judy's emotional connection to her son's pursuit is conveyed in an empathetic manner. As wrestling is Anthony's dream vocation as well, rooting for an anxious Judy becomes guilt-free.

Unstoppable is a film well worth watching, as it gracefully navigates between the familiar intensity of tournament scenes and Anthony’s equally formidable domestic struggles. This seamless shift feels neither rushed nor forced but rather serves as a harmonious convergence, ensuring the film never falls into the trap of being a typical 'finals-centric' sports drama or a melodramatic family story.