REVIEW: ‘The Champion’ Explores The Battles No One Sees

In Netflix Original Spanish-language movie The Champion, directed by Carlos Therón, and written by Joan Gual and Joaquín Oristrell, Diego (Marcel Serrano) is the highest-scoring player in his pro soccer club. Recruited at the age of 18, Diego has the world at his feet. But when he loses his temper and headbutts a teammate, something has to be done to get Diego under control. So a local teacher, Alex (Dani Rovira, Jungle Cruise), is brought in to help Diego figure things out. When Diego starts discovering more than his father and agent intended, a confrontation begins over what is best for Diego’s future.

The easiest way to fool someone is to show them something obvious. To present them with a concept or character they will instantly pass judgment on. Like a rich entitled millionaire athlete who throws a fit and gets suspended for his ill-conceived actions. We all know this guy is a jerk. But what if he isn’t just a jerk? What if there are more reasons for his frustrations, anger, and stubbornness than we know? What if, by looking a little deeper, someone could find another contributing factor to the character’s problems? The Champion does just that through the lens of Diego’s new teacher Alex.

Within the swirling vortex of fame, money, and alcohol Diego has surrounded himself with, Alex presents a chilling calm. While others faun over the star, Alex focuses on the job he is hired to do. His determination to not let Diego off any hooks and force him to learn is commanding in its calmness. The character wields a sort of forceful peace that makes him stand out in his scenes with Diego despite his diminutive physical presence. How quickly he can recognize several of Diego’s problems speaks volumes to his sharp mind and how little anyone else is paying attention.

The impact Alex has on Diego is felt instantly. Serrano does a great job bringing the young athlete’s changing world to the viewer. His performance throughout the roller coaster ride of emotions that Diego expresses is done with a range that is nothing short of impressive.

An important element that helps Diego’s journey feel authentic is how far the character goes. While we see him make great strides over the weeks the movie takes place in, he never feels like a wholly new man. He’s still rich, capable of getting virtually whatever he wants, and the flaws these elements frequently bring with them do not wholly disappear. Keeping Diego flawed helps maintain the semblance of reality. Even if he were to overcome all of these things one day, it would take more than a few weeks.

While Diego is the focal point of The Champion’s story, Alex grows just as much. Alex has a laundry list of his own issues, born of past traumas he has never confronted. As he grows closer to his young charge, he quickly finds himself forced to push through his anxiety and fears if he hopes to help Diego. Alex’s selfless motivations make his side of the story every bit as impactful as Diego’s.

The Champion brings both personal journies together in one particularly poignant moment. When Diego sneaks Alex into the local football stadium with him after hours, the duo has a heart-to-heart that brings both men’s history and trauma to the forefront. This moment of vulnerability is presented with nuanced skill. As the two share histories hinted at earlier in the movie, the characters have a subtle sense of relief.

The final positive personality in Diego’s life is his girlfriend Ceci. Desperate to help, but never knowing how, Ceci feels highly relatable. She comes to play a key role in the story as her desperation leads her to reach out to Alex, helping to reinforce his resolve at critical moments. Watching her frustration and concern morph into hope and, eventually, joy is a lovely transformation.

Just as the positive pieces of The Champion‘s narrative deliver growth and change, the negative influences in Diego’s life bring just as much negativity to the film. Diego’s father and his agent take turns showing how low they can go in exploiting Diego. Not truly wanting Alex to help his son, to appease those angry over Diego’s outbursts, Diego’s father becomes irreprehensible as the story progresses.

The one element I can see many taking umbrage with is the ending. The way the story leaves its star character will leave many feeling cheated about the finale they wanted. Others may see the ending as a confident statement about the importance of the destination weighed against the journey to get there.

The Champion manages to meld the many personalities and stories they bring with them into a powerful narrative. As quickly as the audience will judge Diego’s early antics, they will also come to appreciate the struggles that brought him to where he is—reminding us that we are all fighting battles no one else sees.

The Champion is streaming now on Netflix.