Invincible (2006)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Ericson Core

Writer (WGA):

Brad Gann (written by)

Release Date:

25 August 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Sport

Tagline:

Dreams are not lived on the sidelines

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Philadelphia Eagles | Nfl | Bartender | American Football | Sports Team

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

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

Also Known As:

Who's Nuts Invincible (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for sports action and some mild language.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:G | USA:PG (certificate #42738) | Australia:PG | Singapore:PG | Argentina:13 | Germany:6 | South Korea:All | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Walt Disney Pictures

Trivia:

The summer training camp scenes were filmed at Central High School in North Philadelphia. The surrounding buildings and field were fixed up to give the appearance of the Eagles real training camp location in 1976, Widener University.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the bar where Vince works there is an obvious "Yuengling Lager" tap. However, Yuengling (a local Pennsylvanian favorite) did not introduce it's popular lager to the public until 1987.

Quotes:

Vince Papale: Excuse me my name's spelled wrong.
Locker Room Ganitor: Nothin personal but by the time I'm through with this is it really gonna matter.

Movie Connections:

References "Zorro" (1957)

Soundtrack:

My Rock and Roll

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.