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Title: Eddie the Eagle (2016)
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| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
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Tom Costello | ... |
Eddie (10 years old)
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| Jo Hartley | ... |
Janette
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| Keith Allen | ... |
Terry
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| Dickon Tolson | ... |
UK Doctor
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Jack Costello | ... |
Eddie (15 years old)
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| Taron Egerton | ... | ||
| Mark Benton | ... |
Richmond the BOA Official
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| Tim McInnerny | ... |
Dustin Target
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| Edvin Endre | ... | ||
| Mads Sjøgård Pettersen | ... |
Erik Moberg
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| Marc Benjamin | ... |
Lars Holbin
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| Iris Berben | ... |
Petra
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| Rune Temte | ... |
Bjørn the Norwegian Coach
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| Hugh Jackman | ... | ||
| Carlton Bunce | ... |
Old Jumper
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Inspired by true events, Eddie the Eagle is a feel-good story about Michael "Eddie" Edwards (Taron Egerton), an unlikely but courageous British ski-jumper who never stopped believing in himself - even as an entire nation was counting him out. With the help of a rebellious and charismatic coach (played by Hugh Jackman), Eddie takes on the establishment and wins the hearts of sports fans around the world by making an improbable and historic showing at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics. From producers of Kingsman: The Secret Service, Eddie the Eagle stars Taron Egerton as Eddie, the loveable underdog with a never say die attitude. Written by 20th Century Fox
So many movies have injected liberal amounts of post-modernist snark as of late. If done right the snark translates to layers and layers of humor and meta-humor that rewards repeated viewings. Deadpool (2016) certainly comes to mind as the strongest recent example. If done wrong however, it becomes an unbearable echo chamber of self- congratulatory wink-winks and nudge-nudges (Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp (2015) anyone?). Eddie the Eagle is not a snarky movie. It's unabashedly sincere and tenacious in its embrace of the inspiring no matter how corny.
Eddie the Eagle is based on the true story of Eddie Edwards (Egerton) an amateur skier who represented Great Britain during the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada. Known early on for his tenacity, the movie represents him as a naive young man with a penchant for clumsiness. Failing every attempt to be qualified as a downhill skier, Eddie makes his way to Garmish-Partenkirchen, Germany to learn and master the Olympic sport of ski jumping. While there, he's openly ridiculed by all for his lack of talent, finance and balance. Taking notice of Eddie's near suicidal commitment however, is former Olympic team washout Bronson Peary (Jackman), who takes him under his wing and trains him for success on the slopes.
Your ability to outright love Eddie the Eagle is predicated on your ability to absorb cliché. This film is an inspirational sports movie that knowingly borrows elements from other movies right down to the stuffy official who undermines Eddie's attempts to qualify (McInnerny). Yes there are training montages set to catchy 80's tunes, yes there's the obligatory hard to please parent (Allen) and yes there's the inspirational moment, right before the climax, where our hero gets encouragement from an unexpected source. What makes this movie special is it runs at these clichés head-on; as if they're not story elements directly lifted from Rocky (1976), Ski Patrol (1990) and Hot Dog...The Movie (1984). Much like Eddie himself, the movie doesn't care if it wins records; it's just happy to be on-screen warming your heart and making you laugh. One can't help but admire such enthusiasm.
Of course if you're too cynical for a feel good sports movie you can at least appreciate the stellar cast rounded out by Taron Egerton. The man is destined for stardom providing the same underdog sensitivity he brought to Kingsman's (2014) Eggsy only with a deft sense of comedic timing. Jackman isn't at his best but boy does he seem to be having a lot of fun playing the permanently drunk Peary. He refers his flask as his "jacket," and has a chemistry with Egerton that borders on brotherly. Jo Hartley and Keith Allen are polar opposites as Eddie's parents and provide much of the humor in their back and forths. You can tell they both mean well yet Hartley is constantly undermining Allen's pragmatic approach to Eddie's struggles. She's the dreamer, he's the realist; both wear their characters well.
Eddie carries with him a lunchbox filled with all the medals he's won throughout the years. Most of those medals consist of broken, thick-framed glasses with insanely thick lenses. Those who scoff at the state of sport today and make a stink about how competition is being scuttled by participation trophies are missing the point. Sportsmanship is not about beating the other guy, it's about achieving your personal best. This movie wears that theme firmly on its sleeve and it's truly a joy to see something that doesn't resort to self-reference to get it's point across. While not a masterpiece in the purest sense, Eddie the Eagle firmly places itself as this generation's Rudy (1993).