Review of Cool Runnings (1993) by Stuart K — 07 Feb 2013
Directed by Jon Turteltaub, (While You Were Sleeping (1995), National Treasure (2004) and The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010)), this is a touching and very funny feelgood family film based on an unbelievable true story of Jamaica's entry for the 1988 Winter Olympics.
It's a very enjoyable and likeable film, with some funny local humour and a sense of triumph around the proceedings. After Jamaican runners Derice Bannock (Leon), Yul Brynner (Malik Yoba) and Junior Bevil (Rawle D.
Lewis) fail to qualify for the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul, Derice comes up with an idea, to compete in the Winter Olympics in Calgary as a bobsledder team. With help from local champion push cart racer Sanka Coffie (Doug E.
Doug), they go to former Olympic bobsled champion Irving "Irv" Blitzer (John Candy), who reluctantly agrees to help them in their dream to compete in the Winter Olympics. Once in Calgary, they're looked down upon by other competing teams, who think they have no place there, but they're determined to not give in.
It's a very entertaining and funny story, even if it did deviate from what really happened, it's quirky touch and situations the characters make it feel a bit like a Bill Forsyth film, but it's a great film for the family to watch, and it shows an entertaining contrast of cultures.
This review of Cool Runnings (1993) was written by Stuart K on 07 Feb 2013.
Cool Runnings has generally received positive reviews.
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