In homespun, fly-on-the-wall style, filmmakers Justine Jacob and Alex D. da Silva's inspirational documentary Runners High chronicles one year in a program called SRO (Students Run Oakland), a volunteer effort in which Oakland high school students—most with little or no track experience—are recruited and trained to run in the Los Angeles Marathon. The point of the exercise is to prove to young adults that they are capable of remarkable achievements if only they apply themselves. Runners High proceeds in straightforward chronological fashion, mixing interviews (with organizers, coaches, and runners) together with footage of recruiters making their pitches on campuses, students debating whether to participate, and extensive training sequences (with occasional confrontations between trainers and participants), followed by the race itself (wrapping up with “where are they now?” notes). Runners High is successful in making viewers care about the profiled kids (you're disappointed when one drops out, saddened that another was forced to leave school, and shocked that a third was shot—thankfully, not fatally). An uplifting portrait, overall, of a worthwhile social program, this is recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Swietek)
Runners High
(2006) 86 min. DVD: $19.95: individuals; $100: institutions. Jacob Productions. PPR. Volume 23, Issue 2
Runners High
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