I am writing this a few days after attending the screening for the new Matthew Vaughn (Marv) and Dexter Fletcher (Director) movie Eddie the Eagle, my excuse is it's been a rather busy week!
Anyway, so Tuesday night I went to a pre release screening of Eddie the Eagle staring Taron Egerton and Hugh Jackman. The film is loosely based on the life of Eddie the Eagle Edwards who took part in the Calgary Winter Olympics in 1988 and became a huge personality for really embodying the true meaning of the games.
The film follows a young Eddie who is told by everyone including his dad played by Keith Allen that he will never achieve his dream of being an olympian, always the underdog Eddie never looses sight of his goal. After his leg brace is removed, and his dad repeatedly tells him he will never be an athlete no matter what sport he tries Eddie switches his goal to the Winter the Olympics and skiing.
As Eddie trains he becomes part of the British team in contention to go to the olympics, but due to the under hand tactics of the Team Manger Eddie is told he will not be part of the team going to Calgary as he is not appealing to the prospective sponsors.
His dreams shattered Eddie is about to give up when he sees a picture of a ski jumper and decides to be come the only British Ski Jumper. He travels to Germany and starts training, teaching himself how to jump ignoring the negative reception from other jumpers.
Finally he is taken under the wing of Bronson Peary a former Ski Jumper, now groundsman who has hit the bottle since his own fall from grace. With his coach now in place Eddie goes on the circuit having a few adventures and some rather funny training scenes Eddie makes it to the Olympics and the rest is history.
This film was brilliant, I loved the rapport between Egerton and Jackman which lead to some real comedic moments. The Ski Jump scenes were impressive and the recreation of the 80's Olympics was very nostalgic.
I was only young when these games took place my only memory of Edwards was the comedy and 'joke' like treatment he received post games. It was quite interesting to watch this version of events, while I'm sure it's not 100% true I can imagine the silver lining of truth which runs through it.
To me this is one of those movies that while you laugh at it, it teaches you a lesson;
There are so many people in life who will tell you what they believe you are worth, the truth is you are the only person who can decide that, ignore them and follow your heart
Fly like an Eagle!
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