3: The Dale Earnhardt Story

Several years ago ESPN made a decision that they were going to expand their vision and focus to include original entertainment programming. This has led to a slew of made-for-TV films, dramatic mini-series, and specials about fictional or historical sports personalities and events. Although the acronym ESPN has always stood for Entertainment Sports Programming Network, ESPN never had the desire, budget, or ability to produce this type of original entertainment. Just like MTV has become less about music videos and more about reality TV, dramas, soap operas, and animated series, ESPN seems to be headed down the same wrong path. That's why when I saw the trailers for '3' the last couple weeks, I figured it would be poorly done and over-dramatized just like every other original project ESPN has touched. Surprisingly, that wasn't the case. Barry Pepper, who has been good in everything else I've seen him in, puts on a good performance this time too. I've never been a fan of auto sports, or Dale Earnhardt for that matter, but I was entertained by this movie every bit of the way.

I've watched "3" almost three times since it's debut Saturday night. I watched it in its entirety and then the better part of the last hour twice afterward. The last half hour is heartbreaking and very well done. After all the hype, I feared "3" wouldn't meet expectations, especially for Earnhardt fans. On the contrary, it exceeded them for me. You're not going to please everyone trying to tell the life story of a man like Dale Earnhardt in less than two hours. The main quibble I had was not telling the story of the lucky penny Dale carried during his Daytona 500 win. A minor criticism to be sure.

The casting and performances were outstanding. Hard to believe the actor who convincingly played another one of my sports heroes, Roger Maris, could also deliver a performance as Earnhardt deserving of an Emmy nomination.

As a longtime Earnhardt fan, I sometimes had to remind myself I was watching a movie and not Sportscentury. Barry Pepper, please play Johnny Unitas.

I won't spoil the touching way the tragic ending was handled, but if you don't shed a tear or ten, you'd better check your pulse.

"3: The Dale Earnhardt Story" isn't going to win a lot of non-Nascar fans over to the sport, but as a biography, it is well-made, offers some believable insights on what made Earnhardt the often enigmatic person he was, and, in Barry Pepper, provides an eerily close approximation to the 'look' and 'feel' of the racing legend. Pepper will certainly receive an Emmy nomination for the role, and delivers such a powerful portrayal that you nearly forget how good the rest of the cast is.

While Elizabeth Mitchell is more glamorous than the real Teresa Earnhardt, she is quite solid and believable in the role; to truly appreciate how important Teresa's intelligence and business acumen were to Dale, it would have required a much longer movie, and might have seriously tilted the story away from Dale's other relationships, and the balance that Pepper and director Russell Mulcahy achieved.

Dale's early years come off best in the film, with a wonderful performance by J.K. Simmons as the inspirational Ralph Earnhardt. The grittiness and 'backwoods blue-collar' feel of Earnhardt's upbringing is well-conveyed, and reminiscent of "Coal Miner's Daughter" and "The River". The film loses a bit of steam when Dale begins racing, and as he achieves success, a lot of memorable moments had to be edited out, or telescoped down, which has disappointed some Earnhardt fans. Considering the time and budget constraints, however, I found the story to be remarkably accurate.

The young actors who portrayed Dale's children as adults should be singled out for recognition; race car driver/first-time actor Chad Mcumbee, while low-key, is pretty impressive as Dale Jr., conveying both a pride in his father, and frustration in being 'held back' so he could complete his education before being permitted to race; Corri English, while too cute, has an infectious smile and manner, and exhibits the Earnhardt joy of fast cars; best of all is newcomer Frank Glidden as oldest son Kerry, who, in a few brief scenes, offers a balanced, sensitive interpretation of the son Dale abandoned, finally winning his father's attention and respect, even as he sees Dale Jr. outshining him on the track. I look forward to seeing more of Glidden's work in future!

While there will certainly be a more detailed and polished feature film about Earnhardt in the future, this ESPN production is not without it's own merits, and provides an entertaining, dramatic overview of the racing legend's life.

I am sure this was a good movie for those who knew who Dale Earhart was BEFORE he died. For the rest of us, it is just OK.

The movie stars Barry Pepper as Dale Earnhart. Pepper has done some good work before (The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, The Green Mile), and puts forth an excellent performance here.

J.K. Simmons (The Closer, Law & Order) was also very good as Ralph Earnhart, Dale's father.

As I said, if you are into NASCAR, then you will enjoy this movie. Of course, if you are a rabid NASCAR and Dale Earnhart fan, then I doubt that 88 minutes will satisfy you.

This is overall an excellent movie. A must see for all nascar fans.I only saw 1 not already mentioned error. Dale Earnhardt actually drove 2 different times or stints in his carrier for Richard Childress. He drove for another owner from 1982-1983. The other owner was Bud Moore and the car was the #15 Wrangler Thunderbird. In 1984 He(Earnhardt) returned to Childress taking the reigns of the #3 car from Ricky Rudd. The movie was very interesting in the way Dale Earnhardt was presented as a human being. One that had feelings, faults, shortcomings and not as some kind of bigger than life superhero.Though now a legend in racing it shows how he climbed the ladder to success. Excellent job by Barry Pepper.