Goalie

Was hoping for more bright things about Terry Sawchuck and his records that we're set and remain unbroken. Unfortunately, it focused too much on his demons & dark side of his life. The bright side is costumes and the historical aspect of the film we're great.

An in depth look at the life of Terry Sawchuk in and around his world in hockey. Refreshing to see a rag to riches without it all being sunshine and rainbows. A lot of struggles and constant obstacles to overcome. I was impressed by this being a made for TV movie since it's better than a lot of movies that I've seen in theatres. Worth a watch if you are or ever were a hockey fan.

A story that shows all of the brutality of hockey in the 50's and 60's. As a kid, I just saw heroes playing a game but this movie shows the reality. Players were treated as property and could be traded any time to anywhere. Wives were left to take care of the family often without any help from the player. Owners treated the players as little better than slaves. Excellent performances from all but extra credit to Georgina, Mark and Kevin. The story was a bit unsettling as we see the gritty existence of the hockey player. They barely made enough money to make ends meet and the tension that existed in the Sawchuk household likely reflected an unspoken truth.

I've always been fascinated with Terry Sawchuck. Growing up in Canada and idolizing goalies since the age of nine. Knowing the details of his life always made me wish that someone would make a film about him. If movies can be made about Rocket Richard and Gordie Howe then surely Sawchuck is deserving of the honor as well. While I wouldn't describe it as a fabulous movie it was a fine effort and does an excellent job capturing the idiosynchrasies of the era in pro sports and the physical and emotional hardships endured by professional hockey players during a time when missing a game or two due to injury could mean the end of your career. I think the main actor did a fine job capturing Sawchuck's notoriously sullen disposition and moodiness. Telling it like it was instead of trying to glamorize his image was the right way tell the story. On the down side, I find it a bit disappointing that we couldnt see Sawchuck wearing the Motor City's famous logo on his jersey. Probably due to budget constraints the movie had to make due without official NHL logos and this takes away from things a bit. I'm also not crazy about the way they ended the film and thought it could have been done better. Overall though it's a movie that real hockey fans and especially goalie fans should see. I'm certain that most will appreciate the effort.

Goalie is based on the career of one of hockey's greatest goalies. It is also based on a book of poetry based on the tragic life of Terry Sawchuk. One would think hockey and poetry are opposite ends of the entertainment spectrum . However the emotional journey of Sawchuk lends itself to poetry. The film portrays Sawchuk as a tragic figure, struggling to be everything to everyone and the cost of success in the world of hockey in those early days as I am sure it still is today.