Invincible (2006)

Based on the story of Vince Papale, a 30-year-old bartender from South Philadelphia who overcame long odds to play for the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles in 1976.

Director:

Ericson Core

Writer:

Brad Gann

Stars:

Mark Wahlberg, Greg Kinnear, Elizabeth Banks

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mark Wahlberg	...	Vince Papale
Greg Kinnear	...	Dick Vermeil
Elizabeth Banks	...	Janet Cantrell
Kevin Conway	...	Frank Papale
Michael Rispoli	...	Max Cantrell
Kirk Acevedo	...	Tommy
Dov Davidoff	...	Johnny
Michael Kelly	...	Pete
Sal Darigo	...	Mick
Nicoye Banks	...	TJ Banks
Turron Kofi Alleyne	...	Ronnie Sampson
Cosmo DeMatteo	...	Dean German
Stink Fisher	...	Denny Franks
Michael Mulheren	...	AC Craney
Michael Nouri	...	Leonard Tose

Storyline

In the sumer of 1976, 30-year old Vince Papale is having a tough run of luck. He's been working as a supply teacher for two days a week but has just found out that his job has been eliminated because of budget cuts. His wife gives up on him saying he'll never amount to anything and asks for a divorce. He works as a bartender and plays football with his friends. When the the new coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, Dick Vermeil, announces that he will hold open tryouts for the team, Vince reluctantly decides to give a try. In an almost unheard of feat, he manages to make the team and enjoyed a three year career as a professional football player. Based on a true story.

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Plot Keywords:

philadelphia eagles | bartender | 30 year old | friend | professional football player | 

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Taglines:

Dreams are not lived on the sidelines

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Sport

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for sports action and some mild language

Details

Official Sites:

Disney [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 August 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

Who's Nuts Invincible

Filming Locations:

Franklin Field - 235 S. 33rd Street, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$33,924 (New Zealand) (24 November 2006)

Gross:

$33,924 (New Zealand) (24 November 2006)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walt Disney Pictures, Mayhem Pictures, Who's Nuts Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The stadium that was used to depict the Eagles 1976 home of Veteran's Stadium was in fact the previous Eagles home stadium from 1958-1970, Franklin Field. Veteran's Stadium had been imploded in 2004 prior to the movie's production. While the shots of the exterior were CGI, the interior shots were filmed at Franklin Field. It can be recognized by the jogging track surrounding the field and bench seating rather than individual seats like at Veteran Stadium.

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Goofs

Vince Papale never scored an NFL touchdown. However, the play in the movie in which he scores a touchdown is based loosely on a real play. In the real game against the New York Giants, Papale forced a Giants defender to run into his own punt returner. Papale recovered the fumble, but did not score on the play. NFL rules prohibit players from advancing "muffed" punts. (The actual play is shown in the montage at the end of the movie).

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Quotes

Janet Cantrell: Hey, I grew up with five brothers, but I have no problem hitting a girl.

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Connections

Referenced in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: The Gang Gets Invincible (2007)

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Soundtracks

"Do You Know What I Mean"
Written and Performed by Lee Michaels
Licensed by Lee Michaels
By special arrangement with Natural Energy Lab

User Reviews

Quality film making from Disney

Really enjoyed this film. Went with my almost 13 year old son who is just starting his first participation in organized football in school and I think the film really inspired him.

No the film does not focus on the Eagles professional sports organization. So if you're looking for a film that does that, you're probably going to be disappointed.

The film focuses on our hero and to a large degree his neighborhood friends and what it was like for a 30 year old bartender who only played organized football in high school and how he showed up one Saturday at an unprecedented open try out for a professional football team and how he was selected....not selected to join the team automatically.

No, he was only selected for a spot to possibly be on the team. It took a few weeks of being with the team and surviving 'cuts' until he was actually part of the team.

The fact that he did make it, against all the odds, is certainly your classic fairy tale come true.

Disney manages to show rough guys from a rough part of Philadelpia and rough professional football players realistically without ever having to utter one profanity on the screen or use gratuitous violence or vulgarity to do it. That's an accomplishment Disney should be proud of.

Honestly, as a movie buff, it's been a long time since I've gone to the movies where I was able to stay engaged throughout the running time of the movie.

The movie isn't pretentious nor does it take the easy way out in telling its story of rough blue collar characters-by employing vulgarity, overt sexuality or excessive violence.

It relies on tried and true methods like a good storyline, taking the time to establish a good foundation in the beginning of the movie, letting the audience get to know the characters involved and then when the bigger more dramatic moments come it doesn't need to rely on over the top special affects to get the audience involved.

That being said, the actual professional football game scenes are well done with just enough special affects to give the audience the feel that these actors really were on that playing field playing the game.

I really can't say enough about this movie. When all the hype fades away on other overly marketed & bigger budgeted movies, it will be a movie like this one, that you'll reach for over and over again in your personal movie library.

And while we're at it, hats off to Mark Whalberg for a sensitive, well acted portrayal.