Dreams do come true for those who strive to achieve them, that’s the message of Eddie the Eagle, an inspiring tale of a young man who wouldn’t stop until he reached his goal of becoming an Olympic athlete. The film stars Taron Egerton as Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards, a British skier who in 1988 became the first competitor to represent Great Britain in Olympic ski jumping, but it’s the story of how he got there that is most extraordinary.
Eddie isn’t your normal determined athlete; as a matter of fact, Eddie isn’t what you would call an athlete at all. From an early age, young Eddie Edwards had a dream to become an Olympic athlete and he didn’t care what sport it was, he just wanted to represent his country. He tried his luck at training for all sorts of events throughout his younger years, but nothing seemed to be the right fit. It became apparent to Eddie that he was looking into the wrong sort of sports as his limitations were holding him back, but a revelation came to him and he decided that skiing seemed the more logical choice to help him make the games. He became a good downhill skier, but he was told that he would never make the team. More determined than ever, he found his way to ski jumping. Why ski jumping? There were no other British ski jumpers with whom to compete for a place!
And this is where Eddie’s story takes flight. Against his parents better judgement, Eddie takes off for Germany to train at an Olympic ski jumping facility, but the sport is tougher than he thought. Enter Bronson Peary (Hugh Jackman), a disgraced former ski jumper turned slope maintenance guy who sees Eddie’s determination but little in the way of talent. Bronson, not looking to reunite with the sport that shunned him, initially deflects Eddie’s call for help, but ultimately decides to help him. The two unlikely allies begin a rough journey that they hope will land them on the slopes of the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary.
Director Dexter Fletcher tells Eddie’s wonderful story perfectly with minimal cliche’s and a ton of heart. Taron Egerton shows why he is one of the brightest stars in Hollywood today with his brilliant depiction of the titular character. Hugh Jackman works perfectly with Egerton and their chemistry is the reason the film works so perfectly. Eddie the Eagle is a fantastic story of strong will and determination that will have you standing on your chair and flapping your arms like an eagle. A true testament to the human spirit and a story that will resonate with anyone who’s ever chased a dream.
Stars:
4 out of 5
After Credit Scene?
None
Trailer:
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