Eddie el Águila

I've seen some sport films through the years but I've actually never seen one about ski jumping. Eddie the Eagle is the truth based story of the British ski jumper Michael "Eddie" Edwards who participated in the 1988 Olympic winter games in Calgary, Canada. Eddie has since childhood, dreamed of becoming an Olympic participant. When he gets older and is denied to compete in downhill skiing by the British committee, he decides to try ski jumping instead. The problem is that the Olympic games is one year away and Eddie has never before in his life tried ski jumping. The incredibly charming Taron Egerton plays Eddie the Eagle and Hugh Jackman also takes part as the drunken American ex pro jumper Bronson Peary.

Classic underdog stories always works well within the sport genre and really are a well played card by now. And yet there is something with the story about Eddie that grabs hold of me. Nobody believes in him, he is odd and rather strange. Despite dealing with all the resistance and sometimes humiliation, he never gives up. The thing that also really keeps me interested is the ski jumping. I have always found that sport pretty funny, but I now seriously have to confess that I would never dare to jump that high with skis on. Hugh Jackman's mentor character is actually very cliché and perhaps a bit exaggerated. They should probably have toned him down to add a little more realism in the story.

According to the filmmakers the story is really not that truthful, especially not the parts about Eddie Edward's life outside of ski jumping. His result and what happened to him is however not changed that much, but besides that much of the story is made for film. I really don't think that's a problem. I rank Rocky as my favorite sport film and it is because I think that the ultimate sport film needs an underdog story. It is actually the same thing here in Eddie the Eagle. A struggle for the little man and a display with an encouragement to never give up. Perhaps well needed in our sometimes dark world.

David Lindahl - www.filmografen.se

Everyone loves a good underdog story, and sports films have always been a good avenue for those stories to thrive. I know a lot of people like to complain sometimes about 'biopics' and how they should be as close to the source material as possible, but I look at it a different way. I go to the movies for an experience. Whether that be to laugh, cry, smile, or whatever, I go for the experience. If a film would be better off taking plenty of liberties, I'm all for it. Eddie the Eagle definitely took that philosophy, and for the most part, it really worked.

First of all, I have to give a shout out to Elk Grove Cinema (not that they would actually be reading this) for inviting me to a preview screening of the film a few weeks before its wide release. Of course I jumped at the opportunity considering Hugh Jackman and the up and comer Taron Egerton were starring in a sports film, especially a seemingly uplifting one at that. The film absolutely did not disappoint. Similar to last week's Finest Hours, I went in with mediocre expectations, and came out very pleasantly satisfied with what I got. It's a feel good story that I think everyone can get behind. Eddie dreamed his entire life of competing in the Olympics and was told that he would never make it, naturally that's someone we would root for.

The good thing is that Egerton does more than just portray a sympathetic character. He transforms into Eddie the Eagle. I didn't know much about him before the film but it seems like he really pulled off Edwards' emotions and body language to a T. Jackman is also very good as the clichéd drunk washed up trainer that takes Eddie from being a wannabe to an Olympic athlete. I think that's what a lot of people will come out of the film saying, it's so clichéd. To an extent, they're not wrong. Each and every character is the prototype of what you would expect them to be, whether they are supporting Eddie or entirely against him. But I also don't think it was always a detriment to the film. Sometimes the clichés worked.

As I said, the film is incredible satisfying. It's one of the best examples of a pure crowd-pleaser. There's not much to dislike about the film. I absolutely loved the music choices including the score and some timely 80's song choices. Sure, I think the stakes could have been raised a bit here or there to give an even bigger emotional moment, but I can't say the film didn't already bring me to teary eyes at some points. And that to me, is an experience at the movies.

+Emotionally satisfying

+Egerton is terrific

+Music

+Jackman

-Some clichés are unnecessary

7.5/10

The British love a plucky loser. "Eddie the Eagle" tells the astonishing but true story of everyman plasterer Eddie Edwards who qualified for, and then competed in, the Calgary Olympics in 1988 (probably most famous for those other plucky losers – the Jamaican bobsleigh team of Disney's "Cool Runnings" fame). I have absolutely no idea how the traditionally more success-driven and competitive American audience will see it, but the packed English showing I attended all clearly loved this film as a feel-good classic.

The film starts with Eddie's childhood, struggling out of leg braces to try to pursue his Olympic dream with no success whatsoever. (Excellent performances here by brothers Tom and Jack Costello who set-up the tone for the film). His battle is not just against his lack of skill: whilst his mother (Jo Hartley) is quietly supportive, his father Terry (Keith Allen) is – not unreasonably it must be said – hugely frustrated at his son's fanciful ideas, wanting him to follow in the family plastering tradition with the same zeal. (The gulf in ambition is vast – Eddie: "Didn't you have a dream when you were younger Dad?"; Terry: "Yes, plastering".)

Eventually Eddie finds a sport he is half decent in (by British standards!): downhill skiing, but is thwarted in following his Olympic dreams by smarmy and sneering Olympic selector Dustin Target, played by Tim McInnerny (from "Black Adder" and "Notting Hill"… someone who has rather cornered the market on 'smarmy and sneering'). It is then that he exploits ancient rules in the UK Olympic playbook to try to qualify in the discipline of ski-jumping: something no one has done since the 1920's. Linking up in Austria with an alcohol-infused coach and ex- jumper Bronson Peary (Hugh Jackman), Eddie faces the terrors of the 40m and then 70m jumps to try to learn the sport (16 years too late).

This film has been long in gestation, with both Steve Coogan and Rupert Grint originally earmarked for the role. But Matthew Vaughn's involvement in the current project probably contributed to Taron Egerton getting the job following their work together on last year's "Kingsman". And a great choice he is too. Almost unrecognizable from the sharp- suited Eggsy in "Kingsman" and gangster-sidekick Teddy in "Legend", Egerton switches effortlessly between clueless goofball and steely determined sportsman.

The film's emotional heart though is with Hugh Jackman's side-story, battling with drink after throwing his own chance away with US-coach Warren Sharp (a nice cameo by Christopher Walken). Although going a little OTT at times (we see for example that he is no Meg Ryan!), Jackman provides a solid acting foundation that the rest of the cast can play off.

Rounding out the cast are solid performances from Jo Hartley ("This is England") as Eddie's Mum, Mark Benton ("Waterloo Road") as a BOA official, Rune Temte as a bear of a Norwegian coach and the ever-warming Jim Broadbent as a BBC commentator.

An 'attaboy' should also go to the special effects crew headed up by Marty McLaughlin for making believe a man can fly. Whilst – you understand – not in any way doubting Jackman's ability to risk his pretty face on a 90m jump, the nighttime sequence of him doing that jump is really nicely executed (with cinematography by George Richmond).

A quick browse at Wikipedia will make it clear that there has been a lot of license taken with this as a "true story", and to be fair the prefix "based on a.." was used! And the film is not without irritations: Terry's negativity to his son's actions is about 25% overplayed in Simon Kelton's story, and the coach/protégé sub-plot has been overused in the past. The soundtrack (music) by Matthew Margeson is also rather grating particularly early on in the film: it is presumably going for 'period' in its use of Hammond organ cheesiness, but that music was tiresome in the 80's too! Fortunately Margeson redeems himself with some kick-ass (no pun intended) classic 80's tracks neatly edited into the action.

These criticisms aside, I dare you to come out of this film without a silly grin on your face. I certainly did. Directed by Dexter Fletcher ("Sunshine on Leith") it's not likely to win any Oscars, but in setting out to deliver what it said on the can it succeeded in all respects.

(Please visit bob-the-movie-man.com to see the graphical version of this review. You can also subscribe there for future reviews. Thanks.)

If ever there was a feel-good movie, this is it! Based on a true story, this film is suspenseful, dramatic and hilarious all in one, resulting in an insanely entertaining feature. Taron Egerton is brilliant as hero Eddie Edwards. He conveys emotion so well that you feel every feeling, every failure and every triumph. He is perfect as the nerd, likable hero and champion. Hugh Jackman is perfectly cast as a has-been champion who unwillingly becomes Eddie's coach. His 'Bo Derek' scene is fabulously hilarious and brilliantly acted.

The film makers themselves warn you with the movie being publicized as a feel-good, underdog tale that provides family entertainment. And that is EXACTLY what this movie is!!! And even though the movie does not bring in anything new or more than what was expected from it, it is definitely a good watch.

The characters are extremely likable and the movie will have you rooting for 'Eddie' in no time.

From what I have read, the movie was not shot in Canada and is very loosely based on the actual life of the real Eddie the Eagle, so people from Calgary and people who actually know a lot about the real Eddie might be slightly disappointed.