• Home
  • Meetings
  • Events
  • Blog
  • E-Board
  • Around Boston
  • Join
Northeastern University's Film Enthusiasts Club
.

Haley Emerson on Eddie the Eagle

2/26/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
I have to preface this review by saying two things: I don’t care for sports, and I don’t care for so-called “feel good” movies.  Maybe that’s a little cynical, but it’s a fact that plays greatly into how I felt about​ Eddie the Eagle.  

Based on true events, the film tells the story of Michael “Eddie” Edwards, a unlikely member of the British ski jumping team at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. Eddie’s story was overshadowed by that of the Jamaican bobsled team (Cool Runnings is great, can’t deny it), but it’s still a story worth telling.  Eddie’s lifelong dream was to be an Olympian - the sport was insignificant, it was the concept of being an Olympian that mattered. After trying and failing at a few sports, Eddie finally found his niche in skiing.  He was cut from the Olympic trials for the downhill team, which inspired him to take up jumping.  A perpetual underdog, Eddie (played by Taran Egerton, Kingsmen: The Secret Service) had more belief in himself than anyone else did, and maybe than he actually should’ve.  Throughout the film, Eddie was full of innocent hubris and determination, leading him to his reluctant mentor, Bronson Peary (Hugh Jackman, X-Men franchise, Prisoners).  A drunken, washed up former Olympic ski jumper himself, Peary finds himself coaching Eddie to help him do the seemingly impossible: qualify for the 1988 Winter Olympics.  The two made an odd pair, but ultimately complemented each other: Peary had the flair and talent, while Eddie had the discipline that could’ve made Peary a legend.  The story told has a happy ending: Eddie made it to the Olympics and, although he was the most mediocre Olympian participating, he couldn’t have been happier.

Eddie the Eagle’s greatest strength was its two irresistibly likable leads.  Egerton is adorable, British, and portrays an underdog worth rooting for.  Though his performance is a little overdone in order to play down his genuine good looks and charm, Egerton’s character comes across as lovable and eccentric.  As Eddie’s coach, Jackman takes on the role of a bad boy former skier (a new archetype, perhaps?), who eventually uses his talent to make the dreams of his protégé come true. If you don’t at least kind of like Hugh Jackman, you probably don’t have a pulse, so he’s a perfect match to play opposite Egerton’s equally likeable character.

The film gave me a look into the sport of ski jumping, about which I know absolutely nothing.  From gratuitous crash sequences to the comparison of a successful jump to an orgasm, I certainly learned a lot.  Ski jumping is super dangerous, I actually don’t know why people choose to do it. Throughout much of the film, I was thinking, “is this guy crazy?” And the answer is: yes, in order to partake in this ridiculous sport, he probably is.  There were several cringe-worthy, cover-your-eyes-and-hope-he-lands-the-jump moments that made the viewing experience a little stressful, but ultimately added to the satisfaction when Eddie succeeded.

Before seeing it, this film was an underdog in my eyes that I wasn’t necessarily rooting for.  But I was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked Eddie the Eagle.  Despite the fact that it was marketed as everything I don’t look for in a film, I found myself laughing out loud and genuinely enjoying the experience of watching Eddie the Eagle.  It was one of only a few films I consider a successfully “feel good” film.     

​
Grade: B+
​
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Categories

    All
    AJ Martin
    Andy Robinson
    Anime
    Anthony Formicola
    Anu Gulati
    Arjun Agarwal
    Arzu Martinez
    Ben Garbow
    Brandon Isaacson
    Brian Hamilton
    Carter Sigl
    Dan Simeone
    Discussion
    Elizabeth Johnson Wilson
    Eliza Rosenberry
    Emily Fisler
    Erick Sanchez
    Eric Tatar
    Essays
    Festivals
    Gabrielle Ulubay
    Haley Emerson
    Here's Some Movies
    Ian Wolff
    IFF Boston
    IFFBoston 2015
    Interviews
    Isaac Feldberg
    Kunal Asarsa
    Library
    Lists
    Marguerite Darcy
    Marissa Marchese
    Mary Tobin
    Meghan Murphy
    Mike Muse
    Mitch Macro
    Neel Shah
    Netflix Instant Watch
    Parth Parekh
    Patrick Roos
    Profiles
    Reviews
    Short Films
    Television
    This Week In Movies
    Tyler Rosini

    Want to Write for Us?

    Contact NUFEC President Ian Wolff at nufecblog@gmail.com if you're interested in writing for this blog!

    Archives

    April 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    October 2019
    September 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.