Jockey, 2021
Directed by Clint Bentley
Starring Clifton Collins Jr., Moisés Arias, Molly Parker, Logan Cormier, Vincent Francia, Danny Garcia, and Marlon St. Julien
SYNOPSIS:
An aging jockey aims for a final championship when a rookie rider arrives claiming to be his son.
Horse riders recount more stories of broken bones and mobility-threatening injuries that anyone can keep track of in director Clint Bentley’s debut narrative feature Jockey (he also co-writes alongside Greg Kwedar). It’s a dangerous sport where the one most in physical jeopardy is lowest on the totem pole (jockeys answer to trainers who answer to owners) and rarely receives many thanks. Chief among them is Jackson Silva (a remarkable Clifton Collins Jr. wearing the character’s inner conflicts all over his body language), a longtime rider who has broken his back three separate times yet chooses to continue racing.
Coupled with twilight cinematography, gorgeous natural lighting, poetic silhouettes, and all-around striking shot competition from Adolpho Veloso, Clifton Collins Jr.’s performance operates in tandem tonally and visually. Firmly stoic and focused, there’s a sense that Jackson was once a force to be reckoned with and someone to idolize.
Regardless, it’s always clear where Jockey is headed, which for the most part, is executed with superb craftsmanship. The actual racing sequences are breathtaking, zoomed in on the facial expressions of riders, complete with a whiplash effect on the sight of dirt kicking up in their faces. Meanwhile, Aaron Dessner and Bryce Dessner’s score captures Jackson’s waning glory days and emotional crisis. Clifton Collins Jr. is undeniably moving and capable of generating the necessary empathy for a character within a profession not known for making the wisest life choices. There’s also a great deal of universal appeal in having the ability to engage in one’s life’s passion taken away, and it’s all over Jackson’s weary and storied facial expressions.
Tickets can be purchased here.
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com