Review of Eddie the Eagle (2016) by Robert B — 18 Jun 2016

I had a great time during this movie. There's something to be said about really lean and optimistic films. This story of Michael "Eddie" Edwards pretty much doing the impossible was this really uplifting tale of eagerness and steadfast commitment to a goal that, at times was pretty tough to watch, but boy when things work out along the way it sets those tummy butterflies going.

It's interesting to note that Eddie's story takes place alongside the Jamaican bobsled team working towards the Calgary Olympics - there were some hardcore parallels that I picked up on as the movie progressed and then some tongue-in-cheek references that really brought it home.

It's your standard inspirational film with the expected bumps and hurdles (family stress, unwilling instructor, being unprepared, crappy teammates, etc.) but there's just some shine that comes along with it in Taron Edgerton's portrayal of Eddie that redeems the film and makes it feel really fresh. There's also this really nice dual story arc between Edgerton's and Hugh Jackman's characters that both pay off at the end and keep the story moving so there's no lulls for either lead. On top of that, Jackman gets a pretty awesome solo scene set to Thin Lizzy's "Cowboy Song" that almost steals the show.

Which leads me to the freaking awesome soundtrack: lots of 80?s synth and sporty themes throughout that work well in tandem with the characters. Definitely keep your eyes out for this when it opens - it's a nice feel good film to usher in spring.