"Run the Race" is a faith-based movie about brothers, young love, family and beliefs. Brothers Dave (Evan Hofer) and Zach (Tanner Stine) are the brothers who lost their mother to cancer two years ago and their father Michael (Kristoffer Polaha), unable to handle the death, walked out leaving the boys to fend for themselves while he sought solace in alcohol. Their godmother, Nanny (Frances Fisher) supports them by having the boys work in her store while football Coach Haily (Mykelti Williamson) has their backs, believing in them and helping them to reach their goals.

The brothers have an unbreakable bond, with Dave being religious and Zach losing his faith both, wanting to succeed and leave their small Alabama town when Zach wins a football scholarship. When Zach hurts his leg he meets a nurse intern, Ginger, (Kelsey Reinhardt), in what becomes a delightful cat and mouse chase where religion enters the pictures with both a negative and positive force.

While religion adds heft to the drama of the story a little less would have allowed for expanding for more about the main characters, such as the father and Zach and Ginger's relationship, but since the writers Jake McEntire, Jason Baumgardner and Chris Dowling, basically, follow the cliches of religion and relationships some people may roll their eyes but more will just go with where it leads.

Chris Dowling also directed the film which strays now and then while the soundtrack has a few winning songs.

All the actors do a first-rate job. Hofer and Stine are quite believable as brothers, athletes, older teenagers who have that unbreakable bond. The romance between Stine and Reinhardt has the needed chemistry with his charisma and her beauty adding to a predictable story with one exception.

It was good seeing the familiar face of Frances Fisher who truly loves the boys as if they were her own and all boys should have a coach supporting them as Mykelti Williamson. It would have been nice if Kristoffer Polaha had more screen time but what he does is impressive.

"Run the Race" was an unexpected film that I found much better than I thought it would be having both laughs and tears along with a story, for the most part, will hold your attention.

Movie trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJAl7A6oTvQ