Without Limits

This is definitely one of the best sports movies ever made as well as one of the most unnoticed movies of 1998. Strange really, because "Without Limits" is an amazing story about Steve Prefontaine. I didn't know it was a biographical movie up until it showed the Olympics. So when I realized that the main character really ran like the wind and had no physical obstacles he couldn't overcome I instantly became an admirer of Steve Prefontaine.

Billy Crudup, who truly stole every scene "even" in "Almost Famous" is brilliant as Steve Prefontaine. His amazing transformation into the role of America's fastest runner was absolutely amazing, and I had no idea who the actor was, I only vaguely remembered his name. Donald Sutherland delivers his performance of the decade and the very beautiful Monica Potter does a great job as well.

The subtle manner in which the director chose to display Pre's life is admirable and very touching. He truly was a role model. He's a role model to me now, more than 30 years later. When he was explaining his running logic to his coach I really understood his look on life. He wasn't planning on being disappointed, he went the distance.

There's one more thing this movie deserves immense credit for. It made me want to run. AND ACTUALLY ENJOY IT!!!!!!!

A brilliant movie that made me think about my life. 8/10

Though I liked PREFONTAINE, Steve James' version of the same story, this is much better. That was straightforward biography, where this captures the poetry of running (James' film was prose, this is poetic). As he proved with PERSONAL BEST, Robert Towne understands the nuances of track and of athletes. Crudup is excellent as Steve Prefontaine, and even looks like a runner. And Sutherland gives the performance of his career as Bill Bowerman. I truly hope it lands him an Oscar nomination. I also hope Towne gets to direct more often, as all three films of his are winners.

Billy Crudup totally loses himself in the lead role and Sutherland does some of his best work as Coach Bowerman. I can see why many in the public stayed away from the film itself - not too many moviegoers are interested in track & field, let alone track & field in the 1970's. I always knew who Prefontaine was because I ran track and cross country in high school in the late 1970's and remember hearing of his untimely death. The film is done in a very straight forward kind of way and that's why I like it. It doesnt waste too much time with side stories or sub plots. One HAS to have a love story and many of the elements of the romance are some of the weakest moments but what can one do? You have to take SOME of the studios notes (besides - even though I think the actress playing the lead is beautiful, I have seen her in other films and I find her work very one-dimensional). But Crudup is amazing as the obsessed runner and the scenes of the actual races are stunningly photographed and edited. Well done.

Although a contemporary of Steve Prefontaine I had never heard of him, not being a fan of track and field. Nonetheless, Without Limits, a biographical film of Prefontaine, made middle-distance running interesting, even exciting. The racing scenes are not the reason to see this movie though, it is the acting, especially Donald Sutherland who plays Bill Bowerman his coach at the University of Oregon. The film follows Prefontaine (Crudup) from his admission to college in 1969 through the '72 Munich Olympics to his death in 1975 as he trained for Montreal. The axis around which the movie revolves is the relationship between wizened coach and impetuous youth, and Crudup and Sutherland do an excellent job of it. As a Baby Boomer it's always a treat to see those late '60s-early '70s years recreated. What memories. You even get to glimpse the founding of the Nike shoe empire in Bowerman's kitchen.

I've never been quite sure, whether it was Personal Best that strongly attracted Robert Towne to running, or that he was already a big fan when he began that project. Suffice it to say that when one of our greatest living screenwriters brings his personal passion to his work, the results will be exemplary.

"Without Limits' only became a movie, because Tom Cruise said so, and thankfully he did. Where as the other Prefontaine bio-pic ‘Prefontaine' provided an honest, technical look at Pre's life and the sport of running, `Without Limits' is more of a lyrical homage to the sport, the man, the zen of it all.

The performances seamlessly intermesh with the story-Donald Sutherland is good, as Coach Bill Bowerman, but Sutherland is always good..and I believe his performance here has gotten more recognition as a result of the way Towne has organized his version-the Bowerman role is centerpiece, in contrast to the more downplayed, subtler roles of the other principals.

Let Robert Towne do whatever he wants, I will come and watch.