Slamdance 25' Racewalkers - movie review
- Travis Brown
- Feb 21, 2025
- 2 min read
What makes a great sports movie? There are a few key ingredients—an underdog, a forgotten hero, a washed-up has-been, and an unlikely, possibly unachievable goal. We’ve seen this formula before, but when it’s combined with something niche, deeply personal, and refreshingly original, we get a hidden gem like Racewalkers from Kevin Claydon and Phil Moniz. This film reignites what indie comedy can achieve with a mainstream feel, yet still remains uniquely its own. Racewalkers is fking epic. I can’t wait for you to see it.
The film stars Claydon and Moniz, with Claydon playing Matt Mackenzie, a former pro athlete whose career imploded, landing him in a Ryan Leaf-level downward spiral. Enter Will Lester (Moniz), a racewalking enthusiast who sees Olympic potential in Mackenzie after a chance encounter. What follows is an outrageously funny, heartfelt buddy story, blending classic sports movie tropes with a fresh, authentic dynamic. Lester, a little person who has spent his life being underestimated—even by himself—teams up with Mackenzie, forming a rare double-underdog duo that will have audiences cheering every triumph.
It’s no surprise that, during the film’s Q&A, the filmmakers revealed earlier drafts were raunchier and more outrageous. Yet, what they landed on is perfectly balanced, capturing a wholesome, feel-good energy while still delivering the edge and irreverence of classics like Bad News Bears and Days of Thunder.
Comparisons to Dodgeball are inevitable, but Racewalkers doesn’t need cheap gags or lewd humor to be hilarious. It’s funny from the start, effortlessly building into the kind of film you’ll want to tell everyone to watch. This is exactly why I come to festivals like Slamdance—to find gems like this. Racewalkers is the kind of watercooler sports flick that makes believers of us all. What more could you ask for?
Rating: 4.5/5
Director:
Phil Moniz, Kevin Claydon
Screenwriter:
Evan Landry, Kevin Claydon, Phil Moniz
Producer:
Jeff Chan, Chris Paré, Robbie Amell, Alex Paquin, Evan Landry, Amanda Pileggi
Cast:
Kevin Claydon, Phil Moniz, Robbie Amell, Greg Bryk, Jess Salgueiro, Italia Ricci, Rebekah Francoz, Ryan Blakely
The Ryan Leaf comparison is brutal but it instantly tells you what kind of spiral we’re dealing with, and it makes the comeback angle feel earned instead of automatic. I’m also glad it sounds like they kept some edge while still going for a crowd-pleaser — that balance is rare. Random aside, the “unexpected niche becomes the hook” thing reminds me of how StyleLookLab can make a super specific idea feel accessible once it’s framed as an underdog story. Curious if the Q&A said anything about how much was based on real racewalking communities.
I like that the review hints the early drafts were raunchier, because the version you’re describing sounds like it lands that sweet spot: heartfelt without getting corny, but still a little sharp. The “mainstream feel, indie weirdness” combo is hard to pull off, and it makes me think of how some fun niche tools pop up out of nowhere — like that free ghibli ai style generator — and suddenly everyone’s into the same oddly specific thing. Anyway, I’m sold on the buddy dynamic more than the sports part.
The double-underdog angle is what sold me here — it’s still got the classic sports-movie beats, but the dynamic feels way more specific and lived-in. Also, racewalking is such a funny niche choice that it almost plays like a straight-faced joke, kind of like an online Vigenère cipher tool making something super old-school feel weirdly approachable again. Now I’m mostly curious how hard they lean into the technique rules vs. just letting it be chaos.
This review does a great job highlighting why independent film festivals remain so important. Mainstream audiences might never actively seek out a movie centered around racewalking, yet these unconventional stories often deliver the most heart and originality. The balance between humor and sincerity you described makes "Racewalkers" sound like exactly the kind of crowd-pleasing indie gem people love discovering through word of mouth. As someone interested in digital creativity, I've been exploring design to code platforms to better understand how engaging entertainment websites transform visual concepts into polished online experiences. Thanks for introducing readers to what sounds like a truly memorable film.
I love discovering films like this through festival coverage. What stands out from your review is how "Racewalkers" embraces the absurdity of its premise without ever mocking the people behind it. The combination of underdog storytelling, genuine friendship, and niche sports culture sounds incredibly refreshing in today's comedy landscape. I've also been experimenting with NanoBanana AI storyboard generators to visualize scenes and character dynamics for creative projects, and it's fascinating how technology can complement discussions around independent filmmaking. This definitely earned a spot on my watchlist.