Boyo-2

As a hockey fan who also happens to love movies, the two combined made seeing "The Rocket" a must for me. It was playing only for a week in a tiny theater in NYC so I saw it the day after it opened. I was surprised to find out that it had been out awhile and only just arrived here two weeks ago.

Roy Dupuis is a tower of dignity as Maurice Richard. I don't know what Richard looked like in real life, or what he was like, but Dupuis is a terrific actor, a great skater, and he cannot be faulted for anything. I have to admit that although I have naturally heard of Richard, I did not know much about his life and struggles, but now I am very interested in reading up on him. I was lucky enough to have seen three games at the Montreal Forum, which is where he would have played and have an enormous amount of respect for the tradition of the Canadians. They are still to hockey what the Yankees are to baseball, even though they are not always a playoff team. But its men like Richard that have created that tradition.

The whole movie is very well done and it was nice seeing current NHL players in small parts. It is a better movie than all the other hockey movies I've seen (not that there are that many to choose from) and that includes "Slap Shot" which I love since its hilarious but its not even close to this, as far as the story it tells about a real stand-up guy, facing many obstacles and playing the greatest sport in the world. Hats off (since no one wore helmets back then..) to all involved. 10/10.

The animation was fun. Looked dated but it was probably supposed to. When she arrived in Times Square it was funny. For about 45 minutes it was very funny and very clever. It did not stay that way. It became the very thing it was making fun of so the beginning and the end were like two separate movies for me.

I do think that Amy Adams is extremely good and has enough talent and screen presence to keep the movie intact even when things go slightly corny. If she's not real good, the whole thing pretty much can fall apart.

James Marsden is also very good as Prince Edward. Having seen him in this and in "Hairspray" I am beginning to think I should be a fan. What was a little funny to me what that one day last summer I saw him in Central Park, and then he had that scene in Central Park when the guys on bikes run over him...

Went with several family members, all female, and they really loved this a lot. I cannot quite join them in that sentiment, but I did enjoy it more often than not. I could have done without Pip, completely. A little too cutesy for me, really. 8/10.