“OVERCOMER” — 2 1⁄2 stars — Aryn Wright-Thompson, Denise Armstrong, Cameron Arnett, Alex Kendrick, Shari Rigby; PG (some thematic elements); running time: 119 minutes; in general release
SALT LAKE CITY — “Overcomer” has a thoughtful message about forgiveness and religious identity, but as a movie, it needs some work.
Alex Kendrick’s film tells the story of Hannah Scott, a high school cross-country runner who discovers her faith in the midst of some serious life challenges.
The first time we meet Hannah (Aryn Wright-Thompson), she steals a pair of unattended headphones on a public basketball court. Petty theft is just one of the challenges facing Hannah, who has lived most of her life with her grandmother Barbara (Denise Armstrong), changing schools several times along the way.
Hannah is asthmatic and happens to be the only cross-country runner for Brookshire Christian High School, her latest educational stop. Only a few months after a major factory closed down, the school — and the town in general — is feeling the strain of a mass population exodus. As a result, Brookshire’s otherwise competitive boys basketball team has been greatly depleted, and coach John Harrison (played by the director) has been forced into double duty as coach for Hannah’s cross-country team.
Early on, Hannah and coach Harrison’s relationship is very pensive, thanks to the teen’s quiet nature and Harrison’s frustration and anxiety about his situation. But the story takes a turn when the coach realizes that a man he visits at a local hospital (Cameron Arnett) is Hannah’s long-lost father.
As the movie settles in, “Overcomer” focuses on the evolving relationship between Hannah and her father — who himself was a cross-country runner — and the film builds toward Hannah’s efforts to compete in the state cross-country championships. Along the way, Kendrick’s film explores the challenge of forgiving others and zeros in on Hannah’s discovery of her faith as she tries to reconcile her past.
“Overcomer” shares an important and relatable message, and there are some very sweet moments along the way. Arnett especially does an excellent job as Hannah’s father Thomas, who has been hampered by both physical and psychological ailments.
At the same time, “Overcomer” has some issues that keep that message from coming through clearly. Most of the first act is spent following coach Harrison as he watches the depletion of his basketball team, which leads to friction between he and his wife, fellow teacher Amy (Shari Rigby). For nearly half of the film it feels like Harrison is the protagonist, and when the narrative switches to Hannah, the film’s path feels unclear.
There are also some missteps with the script, such as an early scene between the coach and his wife that feels too heavy-handed in context, and though it’s critical to the plot, the introduction of the spiritual content feels very disjointed and at times preachy. A bit more subtlety and an extra revision or two would have helped “Overcomer’s” strong parts to flow together more effectively.
To its credit, “Overcomer” does finish with an uplifting third act, but ultimately, it feels like a film with potential that just needed a steadier hand.
Rating explained: “Overcomer” is rated PG for some adult themes.