Debapriya Bhattacharya
A Justin Tipping directorial, ‘Him’ tells the story of Cameron “Cam” Cade, a star college footballer who gets assaulted by a fan right ahead of getting picked for the NFL. As he sees his dreams of becoming a professional athlete come crashing down, Cam gets invited by his childhood idol and legendary quarterback, Isaiah White, to train with him on his compound. While Cam initially cannot believe his luck, he soon realizes that the heights that Isaiah has reached have come with a hefty cost.
Him is a Fictional Tale That Highlights Real Critiques of Professional Football
Written by director Justin Tipping alongside Skip Bronkie and Zack Akers, ‘Him’ is a work of fiction that draws inspiration from the frightening realities faced by real-world players. The narrative explores the inhuman pressure that athletes face as they try to make their mark in the professional arena of the sport. According to Justin, the objective of the film is to make viewers ponder the gritty subtext of America’s favorite pastime, while also critically self-evaluating their own ambitions. “I would just hope that it starts conversations,” Tipping said in an interview with The New York Times. “I would hope that people — whether good or bad, whatever they’re chasing and how they’re chasing it — hopefully it reminds them of their mortality and how we spend our time and who we spend it with.”
Surprisingly, some of the most brutal scenes in the movie have their base in reality. One of them is the training instrument seen in the private compound of Isaiah White. While researching training elements utilized by athletes, the filmmakers came across the JUGS machine. Named after the brand that first created it, the apparatus comprises two motorized tires mounted on a stand that spins rapidly in opposite directions and shoots out balls for the players to practice catching by themselves. According to Win Rosenfeld, president of the production company behind ‘Him,’ Monkeypaw Productions, the machine brings to mind “a medieval torture device.” That is exactly how it has been portrayed in the film, as Isaiah makes a player stand in front of it and take a speeding ball to the face every time his teammate falters during drill.
However, it is not just the physical torments of players that have been drawn from life, but also the mental and social wranglers that they have to go through. When Justin Tipping was first approached by Monkeypaw Productions with the draft for ‘Him,’ the director stated that he wished “to explore, on more of a macro level, what happens when the athlete becomes a commodity, as in the life of professional athletes where like your body is your only kind of capital.” With the National Football League being the most-watched sport in the US and drawing in billions in revenues every year, it has failed to rise above age-old criticisms, such as concern about player-safety issues like head injuries.
Justin did a deep dive on critiques of football levied by different sections of people, from players to scholars. In addition to books and documentaries, Justin’s conversation with former NFL player Ricky Williams gave him a better understanding of the increasingly corporatized nature of the game from college to professional levels. As the funds available for the teams grow with sponsorships, so does the responsibility on the shoulders of the players. This has been taking a toll on the mental health of the players.
Robert Andrews, a peak performance coach who has worked with Olympic gold medal gymnast Simone Biles, opined on the subject, “There’s constant pressure to perform at higher and higher levels throughout our sports culture, and this is becoming more and more prevalent. There are very, very high expectations of perfectionism.” His words gain relevance in the scenes in which Isaiah pushes Cameron Cade to his breaking point during training, screaming in his face and asking about what he can sacrifice to be the best player on the field. It is not until Cameron yells back, “Everything,” that he stops and then tells his prodigy to prove it.
Tyriq Withers Draws from His Life Experiences to Portray the Fictional Cameron Cade
While Cameron “Cam” Cade is not based on any real-life personality, the character shares many experiences in common with actor Tyriq Withers, who plays him in ‘Him.’ Just like Cameron, the Jacksonville, Florida-born Tyriq was a footballer in college, and played as a wide receiver for Florida State. However, his love for the game was rivaled by his reverence for the craft of acting, as her reportedly bunked football practice to attend an audition for his first play. The actor connected with the narrative of the film on a personal level, as he said during an interview with NPR, “For me, it’s just telling stories that really are in line with who I am as a person.”
The relationship of mentor and mentee, which Cameron shares with Isaiah White in the movie, is reflected in the partnership that Tyriq shares with actor Marlon Wayans off-camera. Needless to say, it is based on mutual respect and is far less brutal than seen in the film. In the same interview, Marlon noted that Tyriq was the perfect casting for the young footballer. “He was young, but he’s not young in performance. You’d think he was way older and (with) way more experience with the kind of gifts he has and his natural talent,” said the actor. At the same time, similar to his on-screen persona, he pushed the young actor to work on his writing and producing skills to ensure he stays relevant in the industry for a long time.
Read More: Where Was Him Filmed?
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