INVINCIBLE is the inspiring true story of Vince Papale, an ordinary guy who, against extraordinary odds, gets a one-in-a-gazillion shot at living every sports fan’s wildest fantasy. Like the city he lives in and his beloved hometown NFL team, the down-and-out Vince (Mark Wahlberg) has seen better days. But then the Philadelphia Eagles’ new coach Dick Vermeil (Greg Kinnear) calls an unprecedented open tryout, and the 30-year-old bartender who never played college ball makes the cut. Now Vince needs every bit of his gritty, never-say-die attitude and enormous heart to survive in the high-stakes world of professional football. Heartfelt and triumphant, and filled with body-slamming NFL football action, INVINCIBLE will have you on your feet cheering for the scrappy underdog who helped his team rediscover its winning spirits, and in the process rallied a city when it needed it most.
The movie is based on a true story but it takes many cinematic liberties. In the movie Vince is selected by the Eagles based on a open tryout but it wasn’t for the Eagles. He was actually selected based on a open tryout for Philadelphia Bell for the World Football League which led to him being selected by Eagles in a private workout by invitation only.
Vince Papale’s first wife did leave him, leaving a similar note but that was five years before the events depicted in the movie. The movie portrays Vince meeting Janet before the tryouts but in real life he met her many year later. He dated and married his second wife, during the movie’s time frame.
The movie has many good scenes like the scene where he finds out that he doesn’t have his substitute teacher job or the scene where he has to ask his father for money or the scene where his wife leaves him with a note. The open tryout scene and then the training scenes at the camp are all very good. The scene where he is waiting in his room hearing other players being cut and the scene where he meets the coach expecting to let go is excellent.
Mark Wahlberg was excellent as Vince Papale. Greg Kinnear was good as the coach Dick Vermeil. Elizabeth Banks looked pretty and was good as Janet. Kevin Conway was good as Vince’s father. Michael Rispoli was good as Max. Michael Kelly was good as Pete. The rest of the cast was good too.
Invincible is a very inspiring sports movie. It just shows the struggle of common people trying to make ends meet. It also shows how rejection can make someone more determined.
Highly Recommended
Tags: Mark Wahlberg
