LIN. Unusually strong faith in God. AFP
It’s too bad that the sports docu-bio, “Linsanity,” wasn’t as warmly embraced by local viewers as it should have been when it played here earlier this month. The film was an inspirational viewing treat for us, because it showed how an Asian could overcome racist and other harrowing hurdles to become a top basketball star in the States.
Since black sports stars have been part of the US landscape for many years, we would have thought that other ethnicities wouldn’t be ostracized—but, we’d be dead-wrong!
As Lin’s long struggle toward much-deserved sports stardom shows, each and every ethnicity has its own battle for equality and acceptance to fight!
Ironically, as Lin’s star rose in the US sporting world, even black stars like Kobe Bryant disparaged him, cluelessly forgetting their own race’s struggle for acceptance and success!
What happened to Lin would have crushed a less stalwart heart, but he was able to rise above all of the tests and pressures due to his unusually strong faith in God.
This is the film’s most inspiring insight. Lin’s humble recognition of God’s decisive hand in his life and career serves as a timely reminder for all of us living in today’s increasingly agnostic world.
If a towering sports hero can go down on his knees to give credit to whom credit is due—why, so should we!
On point of dramatic rising action, “Linsanity” can be faulted for keeping its narration on too even a keel, resulting in a plateau that eventually saps its inspirational strength.
But, it does perk up toward its final third, when it shows how, in only two weeks’ time, Lin was able to turn the New York Knicks’ flagging fortunes around, propelling the then-languishing team to unexpected victory!