Cuore di campione

Terry Fox is a Canadian icon. Perserverance and triumph through unspeakable tragedy. This portrayal is an abomination. Early in the film we see a fellow patient sketching a flower vase. The "artist's" chalk is not even touching the canvas in the scenes. Rank amateurs attempting to cash in on a proper hero. Throw in Robert Duval in one of the penultimate scenes and you have a package toi sell. Clumsy and terrible. Avoid this film at all costs. Exploitation and offensively poor. Shame on everyone involved. There is nothing in this film that portrays the heart of overcoming personal tragedy to the spirit required to run across the country on one leg in a harsh climate to help strangers. Instead it is an exercise in misunderstanding and exploitation.

This movie is right up there with Rocky and maybe even more uplifting as it is based on a true story. It is a story of Terry Fox, a young man diagnosed with cancer and forced to give up most of his leg. In the hospital he is horrified at the condition of the young children who are fighting various types of cancer. He decides to raise money by running across Canada. To this day there are Terry Fox races all over Canada to keep raising money for Terry's cause. This movie is out of production but I was able to rent it.

The premiere of this movie was attended by many of Terry Fox's wheelchair basketball team members. It was an emotional event to say the least. I never knew Terry, I arrived in Vancouver shortly after his death, but I took part in the first Terry Fox Run in 1982 and got myself plastered on every front page from coast to coast the following day. Terry Fox was a real person faced with a situation millions of people face everyday, he showed tenacity in the face of adversity and inspired many since - myself included. >

Yes, here might be a movie where you have to break out the Kleenex and start sobbing. No, this real life drama/true story bypasses all of that, avoiding the sentimentality's, what have you. Real life cripple Eric fryer, playing Terry with honesty and realism, not overacting primarily makes this film. He's a very angry and bitter man, Participating in a walk for charity, with one leg, the other just a mechanical foot attached to a spring, which makes the journey harder, but inspirational, we follow the pitfalls, where at times, Fox gets really stormed up, at times, almost wanting to pack it in. Rosalund Chao, as his girlfriends adds some romantic moments, where Duvall, is great as the abused driver, transporting Fox, while Makepeace is likable as Fox's younger brother. Avoiding all that sop sop, a thing I really like about the film, it has a realist nature about it, and Fox's journey is one vastly travelled where he suffers a few hiccups, collapsing at one stage, while bleeding from his fake leg, where the end is an ultimate predictability. His anger and effrontery does get to you at times. This is a very entertaining drama, one I liked very much, where a similar film, of the same year, Running Brave, is one to check out too.

Due to my age, I can only vaguely remember when Terry Fox was running across Canada, but his story is definitely a legendary one here in my country. This is a solid film that begins with his life immediately before his leg is amputated, but it focuses on the actual "Marathon of Hope". Some of the dialogue seems a little unrealistic at times, and the film often moves at too brisk a pace, but the acting is fairly good, and in spite of the flaws, this is a story that needs to be heard if you are unfamiliar with it. Terry Fox is widely regarded as a great Canadian hero...here's your chance to find out why.