You are here:

Mo Farah: No Easy Mile

Name: Mo Farah: No Easy Mile
Director: Joe Pearlman, David Soutar
Released: 2016
Duration: 76 min

Representation Score

5.3/10

Fair

2016

Director

Joe Pearlman, David Soutar

Runtime

76 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Mo Farah: No Easy Mile is a powerful biographical study that challenges the Anglo-centric status quo of Western sporting media. By focusing on Mo Farah's refugee roots and Somali heritage, the film offers a strong portrayal of a person of color. However, its narrow focus on elite distance running leaves little room for gender diversity or LGBTQ+ representation. The athletic context also limits the exploration of disability to just physical fatigue. Overall, the film provides a nuanced look at dual identity and migration, even though it remains confined to a specific, male-centric professional sphere.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Mo Farah: No Easy Mile have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film focuses solely on Mo Farah's athletic and personal life. It includes no characters or stories related to LGBTQ+ identities.

How does Mo Farah: No Easy Mile portray gender?

Fair

The story centers on male-dominated athletic spaces and professional hierarchies. It lacks female characters and does not challenge traditional masculine stereotypes.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Mo Farah: No Easy Mile?

Excellent

The documentary excels by focusing on a Somali-born athlete. It highlights the immigrant experience and the complexities of having a dual Somali-British identity in Western media.

How does Mo Farah: No Easy Mile represent religion and culture?

Good

The film explores identity through the lens of migration and the refugee experience. It avoids a singular religious morality, focusing instead on personal struggles influenced by movement.

Does Mo Farah: No Easy Mile include disability representation?

Fair

Physical toll and injuries are shown as occupational hazards of elite sports. There is no exploration of permanent disabilities or neurodivergence.

Present on Screen

Provides a strong portrayal of a person of color.
Challenges traditional Western sporting narratives by focusing on a Somali-born refugee.
Offers a nuanced look at how migration and dual identity shape an individual.

Limited or Absent

Lacks female representation and challenges to traditional masculine athletic stereotypes.
Provides no visibility for LGBTQ+ identities or narratives.
Focuses on physical injuries as occupational hazards rather than exploring permanent disabilities.

Official Synopsis

Based on intimate interviews with his family and teammates, this documentary tells the story of distance runner and Olympic gold medalist Mo Farah.

How are these scores produced? →