Streaming Review: "Changing the Game"

by Nathaniel R

Mack loves to wrestle but he's forced to do it on the girls team

It can take movies a long time to make it from regional cinephile parties (aka film festivals) to mass consumption via streaming services / movie theaters. Even longer if there's extenuating circumstances like, oh, a pandemic. Case in point, the trans youth sports documentary Changing the Game which just started streaming on Hulu. I first saw the film in the summer of 2019 at the Austin Gay and Lesbian Film Festival where I served on the jury (that's me waving at the end). We awarded it Best Documentary Feature. 

The conversations around trans youth, as well as trans men and women in sports, have only gotten louder in the intervening two years so in some ways it's right on time. Herewith from my original take...

Changing the Game is an elegant take on the controversy surrounding trans athletes in high school sports. As we learn in the film, the politics around trans athletes are complicated. Each state, to cite one example, has their own laws surrounding the issue so it can vary considerably depending on where you live. In Texas for example, trans high school students are only allowed to compete with the gender assigned to them at birth. Mack, the film's most dynamic subject, was born with female genitalia but started to transition as a teenager. He only wants to wrestle on the boys team. Since Texas refused to honor his wishes, he wrestled girls. It caused a lot of controversy in deep red Texas where he was targeted by transphobic media since Mack was on testosterone which many less sympathetic types argue gave him an inappropriate advantage. He won two state championships before college and ended his senior year with a 36-0 record. Over in Connecticut, where the laws are different, we meet a trans female athlete competing in track and field on her chosen team, the girls team. Like Mack she's also a champion and like Mack she's also under fire because of perceived advantages, though in her case it's for the same reason (testosterone) but also an opposite law since she is allowed to compete on the team she identifies with.

The film is compelling from the jump, and avoids the pitfalls of many multi-protagonist docs, with smart editing and cinematic style; the jumps between the stories were never jarring. It's a very well made documentary but the moment I knew I loved it rather than just admired it came near the end [SPOILER] when it takes a surprising short detour into the ambitious of a cis female wrestler who is training hard to beat Mack, the reigning state champion. Unlike some of the transphobic adults we hear from, she admires Mack and bears him no malice whatsoever but her story and desire to win is also compelling so it's hard to not feel for her when she loses. This nod to the human complexity of the situation and willingness to complicate the story of Mack's own success is beautiful. Afterwards we see Mack briefly competing with men (as was always his wish) in college. He's got a huge smile on his face whether he's winning or losing. [/SPOILER]

While I've never been into sports, it's hard not to root for a sports doc which tells its stories with such sensitivity while embodying good sportmanship. Changing the Game is eager to play but wins or loses with passion, sensitivity, and class.  

Comments

[Richard]

Thanks for this. Where can we view it?

[NATHANIEL R]

RICHARD -- can't believe i forgot to include that. Edited to add HULU.

[ToysRUs Credit Card]

Thank you for posting that it could be just the thing to give inspiration to someone who needs it! Keep up the great work!