A memorable sports movie is always about much more than the inevitable big game at the end of the story; the audience must be taken on the journey to see how characters have grown and been shaped as they prepare for the competition. It will ultimately be a human story about why they are drawn to this sport and what they have learned after it is all over. The documentary film 96 Pounds of Dynamite has its big game in the APA World Pool Championships in Las Vegas, but it truly stands out with the lead, Chad "Shorty" McDaniel, who allows us into his full life, with all its joys and heartbreak, as he prepares for the tournament.
Chad was born with a brittle bone disease known as Osteogenesis Imperfecta, which left him wheelchair-bound, with shorter arms and a shorter stature. Chad, early in life, refused to be defined by his disability and, along with his loving and supportive mother, decided he was capable of achieving anything he wanted. The film takes its time showing various obstacles he encounters, including a 1970s school system that was far less accommodating to disabilities and a biological father who was never able to truly come to terms with his son's disabilities.
It became very clear that both Chad and his mother, Jensie, are determined and stubborn individuals who refused to allow a world not built for him to prevent him from achieving things like a degree, career, and happiness. Chad returns to his childhood town to recount how they had to fight to be able to get a proper education in elementary school and have an elevator in his high school. We learn how accommodations and perceptions have evolved over the decades, and it gives viewers a crucial peek into challenges families with disabilities must constantly face with things many take for granted.
Chad is a charismatic, funny, and playful personality who makes it clear how he was able to make so many friends, and the recounting of his life is always engaging due to his gift for storytelling. He is also very open about having to deal with prejudice and how he experiences looks and a sense of being judged daily. Despite unfair perceptions, he leads a full, successful life and has a very heartwarming love story with his wife, Allison.
The story contains some powerful moments of heartbreak, as his reason for returning to his hometown is to see his stepfather, who was diagnosed with cancer, and Chad believes the trip will be the last time he sees the man who showed him so much love and support throughout his life. It is emotional baggage like this that he must take with him to the tournament in Vegas.
The tournament is well shot, and you understand what it means to Chad as he makes it clear his only expectation is to be the champion. All good sports movies know the competition's ultimate purpose is what it can teach, and Chad's story is about inspiration, determination, positivity, and love. It's less about the results and much more about what he gains when it is all over.
Directors Loren Goldfarb and Ed Coughlin shoot the feature in a narrative format, following Chad through the various events he encounters on his road to the tournament, and we get to see his day-to-day events along with the major moments that define him. The events are complemented by many talking heads who have a personal connection with Chad that help flesh out his past and give a full picture of who he is. As the movie progresses, you get to truly know the man and feel deeply for him. Highly recommended.
Is 96 Pounds of Dynamite a good pick for libraries?
Chad is such a confident, witty, and fun personality that audiences of all ages will be drawn to him. His story is a great way for people to experience a different life. It is a great way to raise awareness of disabilities, the need for accommodation, and how much one can achieve even when they live in a world not built for them. It can create great discussions about disabilities, empathy, and even what else can be done to make the world fit for all.
The movie would also be a great fit alongside movies like Standout: The Ben Kjar Story and Concerto for Other Hands for possible film festivals or community screenings about disabilities and what those with them can accomplish with determination and perseverance. Each movie is a great way of allowing a viewer to see the personality and humanity of the individuals, allowing for much greater understanding.
What value does 96 Pounds of Dynamite bring to the classroom?
The movie stands out as an excellent character study, and that form alone makes it worth being discussed and analyzed in media courses. It is effective in exploring the disability because Chad and the filmmakers are so willing to be vulnerable and allow us to truly see the person.
It also has great value in all classrooms as a tool for raising better understanding and discussion about the current state of society and what still could be done to set everyone up for success. One could also look at what accommodation really means, because Chad still needed talent and skill playing pool to get as far as he did, even if he may not present like most of the other players.
96 Pounds of Dynamite is an engaging story, but also one that will sit with you for a while and potentially inspire you to truly make a better change in this world.
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