The 1988 Olympic Games in Calgary, Alberta, Canada might have been the most electric Winter Olympics ever. The Jamaican bobsled team showed the world you don’t have to live in the frozen tundra to compete with the world’s finest winter sport practitioners. There was also that Eagle that was flying all around Calgary. And I’m not talking about bald eagles. That’s right, Eddie the Eagle. Michael Edwards, AKA Eddie Edwards, AKA Eddie the Eagle, for those who don’t know, was born to be an olympian. If you haven’t seen Eddie the Eagle and you enjoy sports, then you should change that. Eddie Edwards (Taron Egerton) is not typically what you would think of when you think of an Olympian. Most people picture guys like Usain Bolt or Carl Lewis. But Eddie has a lot in common with those guys, even he doesn’t look like them. He had a burning desire to succeed. And sometimes, that’s all you need in life. I personally am not an expert on ski jumping, but I think this movie showed a pretty accurate portrayal of it. It’s a sport that is extremely dangerous, even if you know what you’re doing and we see that often in this movie. It’s not something you can just pick up, unless you’re Eddie Edwards. Edwards had spent his life trying to make the British Olympic squad, yet was denied at almost every turn, because they didn’t think he fit the bill for an Olympian. Did that stop him? Quite the opposite actually. It fueled his fire like nobody’s business. After being rejected for the British alpine skiing team, Edwards picked up ski jumping like nothing happened. Then he found his diamond in the rough in the form of former US ski jumping great Bronson Peary (Hugh Jackman). Bronson Peary showed Edwards what it takes to compete in ski jumping on an international level. When you watch Eddie the Eagle, don’t be expecting him to win any gold medals or set any world records. But that’s not what Eddie the Eagle cared about. He cared about showing the world what perseverance and determination can do for you, even when the odds are stacked against you. I dare you to watch this movie and not feel better after. It’s a story about triumph, and the hardships we face in our attempts at glory. And the main character is the most lovable character of any sports movie probably ever. It’s impossible to not cheer for Edwards when the rest of the world is trying to stop him from being great. It’s also extremely impressive to see what kind of athlete Michael Edwards was. Not many guys could qualify for the Olympics in ski jumping after only doing it for two years. Most Olympic ski jumpers start at a very young age, where Edwards did not have that luxury.
Sure Bronson Peary is a fictitious character and the portrayal of the movie’s events aren’t completely how it happened. But this is about the movie. And in the movie Hugh Jackman is amazing. Taron Egerton plays the remarkable Eddie the Eagle, and he soared in his role. It’s not that much fun trying to dissect all the differences from the film and the real story. Obviously some things are glorified, and they have to make it seem more entertaining than some parts actually were. But I think it does take away from the emotions that the movie can make us feel. And this movie will make you feel great, guaranteed. If you want something to pick you up, this film will do it.
I may be a tad biased, but I give this one a 91/100. An extra 25-30 minutes wouldn’t have hurt anybody.
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