Invincible
is a rousing, inspirational underdog sports movie from the folks at Disney –
a studio that has sort of re-ignited the genre in the past few years with titles
like Remember the Titans, The Rookie, Miracle, and Glory Road. For my money, Invincible
is, perhaps, the strongest of the lot, despite the ridiculous title (thankfully,
they didn't use that Clay Aiken tune as the theme song) and the obvious familiarity
of the plot. It just goes to show you that with the proper execution and earnest
performances, even the most familiar material can still be engaging.
Invincible
is the true story of Vince Papale, a decent but down on his luck thirty year old
bartender/substitute teacher from Philadelphia. After endless prodding from his
friends,Vince attempts to join an NFL football team, his hometown Eagles, when
new head coach Dick Vermeil (played by Greg Kinnear in a striking contrast to
his far less sensitive role in Little Miss Sunshine) holds open try outs.
Vermeil
is a passionate, go-with-your-gut individual, and believes that holding open try
outs might light a spark under a team that has fallen off the map after several
years of gridiron glory.
Meanwhile,
Vince is struggling with a mean streak of bad luck, and even though he doesn't
believe for a second that he might make the team (the only real experience he
has with the sport is through the street games he plays with his buddies every
week), he realizes he has nothing to lose. So, with an unsettling note from his
ex-wife in hand (a sort of motivational tool), Vince heads off to the stadium
to give it his best shot. To everyone's shock (except the movie audience's) his
tremendous heart pays off and he makes the squad as a walk on.
Again,
we've seen such scenarios in countless other films, most notably Rocky. Hell,
this film even takes place in Philadelphia. It doesn't matter though, because
I'll be damned if this movie doesn't work it's magic. I got a big lump in my throat
even though I knew exactly where the flick was headed.
I
credit director Ericson Core (a cinematographer by trade – he shot Daredevil
and The Fast and the Furious) for fashioning an extremely efficient piece of work.
This is his directing debut, and I think he proves himself to be the real deal.
He's extremely comfortable with the material. Core perfectly captures the sights
and sounds of Philly, and he stages the football sequences with realistic flair.
Nothing feels over stylized. The film is gorgeously shot. What's more, Core and
his screenwriter Brad Gann allow for plenty of character interaction. In particular,
I really love the scenes in which Vince is simply interacting with his friends.
These guys have tremendous love and respect for each other, and given that this
is the city of brotherly love, it couldn't be any more fitting.
Invincible
also benefits from outstanding performances. Marc Wahlberg is perfect as the tough
but sensitive Vince Papale. Outside Boogie Nights and I Heart Huckabees, this
is easily Wahlberg's strongest work. Not only is he ripped beyond comprehension,
making the physical attributes of his character completely believable, but he
brings an earnest, low key humility to the role. I wanted to see this guy win,
and in a film like this, that needs to happen for the movie to work.
The
supporting performances are stellar. Greg Kinnear is terrific as Dick Vermeil,
although it did take me a couple of minutes to warm up to that 70's hair style
of his. While Invincible is clearly about Vince, we do get to see what makes Vermeil
tick as well. Kinnear and Wahlberg have terrific moments together. They play off
of each other beautifully. Elizabeth Banks (40 Year Old Virgin) is absolutely
charming as Janet Cantrell, the new twinkle in Vince's eye. She's just sweet and
likable, and she brings a playful sensibility to the film. Look no further than
a hilarious scene in which she shows up to the The Eagles game opener wearing
a New York Giants Jersey. Her playful banter with hostile Eagles fans is an absolute
riot. I also really enjoyed Kirk Acevedo as Vince's good friend Tommy, and veteran
Kevin Conway as Vince's loving father.
Like
the best of underdog sports movies, Invincible isn't just about it's protagonist
making himself better. He inspires those around him. He becomes a hero for the
people as it were bringing to mind movies like Cinderella Man, Seabiscuit, and
Rudy.
There are
a couple moments of undeniable cheese whiz in Invincible (I could have done without
the slightly sappy antics during a game of street ball towards the end of the
movie), nor did I entirely buy into the fashion in which Vince's wife abruptly
walked out on him (I suppose the film makers needed to move the story along) but
overall, I really got sucked into this flick. Partly because it's a true story,
but mostly because it's so well crafted. I knew nothing about Vince Papale going
in, and after the movie was over, I wanted to know more about him. This is a wonderfully
rousing film for the whole family, and the best compliment I can pay it, is that
I really felt inspired as I left the movie theater. Go see it.
