JessZilla: Review. By Simon Thompson.
Compelling documentaries are few and far between, for every Hoop Dreams, Grizzly Man, When We Were Kings,or God Speed You! Black Emperor there are dozens of not particularly interesting ones in between. Director Emily Sheskin’s JessZilla, on the other hand, is a fascinating yet poignant watch, that stays with you long after viewing it.
JessZilla chronicles the ups and downs of an aspiring teenage female professional boxer named Jesslyn Silva. We follow Jess both through the highs of winning three national titles and becoming a local celebrity, but also the lows of dealing with a flaky trainer, the effects of Covid, and providing emotional support for her single father Pedro.
As Jesslyn hopes to make the American Olympic team however, she is diagnosed with a severe and rare form of brain cancer with no possible treatment, stopping her life and career before either had barely got started. The diagnosis reorientates Jesslyn’s career path into becoming a tireless advocate for children suffering from the same illness that she was.
JessZilla works as a documentary for two reasons above any others. One is that Sheskin doesn’t make herself the subject in any way, doesn’t insert any obtrusive narration, and allows the attention to be focused on Jesslyn and her family. The second is that both Jesslyn and her father Pedro are incredibly genuine, principled, and likeable individuals that you don’t mind spending an hour and a half in the company of at all.
Even if you don’t like boxing, the human interest aspect of this story is so engrossing that it doesn’t matter in the slightest. Overall, this is a documentary that will leave you feeling angry but inspired at the same time, angry that someone so young with so much to give can have their life so cruelly taken away, but inspired to make the absolute most of what life has to offer.
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