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INVINCIBLE

"Heart, Soul and Inspiration"

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What You Need To Know:

INVINCIBLE tells an incredible story. Vince Papale is an ordinary Philadelphia guy. Thirty years old, he works a couple part-time jobs and plays sandlot football with his friends. Vince is an ardent Philadelphia Eagles fan, but they've had am 11-year losing streak. The Eagles hire college coach Dick Vermeil. Vermeil shocks everybody by calling an open tryout for anybody who wants to play for the Eagles. A bunch of losers show up. Everybody considers Vermeil's idea a big joke, except Vince, who runs an incredible sprint and catches impossible passes. Vince, without complaining or quitting, works hard to make the team. After some bad starts, he becomes a star.

The plot could use a little work, but there's much to like in INVINCIBLE. It has a strong moral outlook, with very little foul language. Vince's father sticks by him, saying, "We don’t let anybody in our family fail." Vince doesn't complain. He figures out what needs to be done and does it in spite of pain and suffering. He is a very heroic character. The dialogue in INVINCIBLE is excellent. The football action is some of the best that's ever been filmed.

Content:

(BBB, L, VV, S, AA, M) Very strong moral worldview with an overt commitment to family, helping others, teamwork, doing the right thing, and other virtues, but no overt Christian content although there is the wearing of crosses and a Christian undertone; very little foul language for a football movie, with four minor obscenities and two light profanities; heavy-duty football violence, including purposely slugging somebody, throwing somebody and other very intense bone-crushing, often intentional violent moments; passionate kissing where it's implied that a couple goes into an apartment to spend the night together and discussions of sex; no nudity; much of the movie is set in a bar so there's a lot of drinking, sometimes to get drunk; no smoking; and, man relieves himself outside of a bar, resentment, jealousy, revenge, all rebuked.

More Detail:

INVINCIBLE tells an incredible story. Vince Papale is an ordinary Philadelphia guy. Thirty years old, he teaches part time, is a bartender part time and plays sandlot football, a very rough and tumble game, with his friends. Vince is an ardent Philadelphia Eagle fan, but they’ve had a losing streak for 11 straight seasons. Vince’s wife is so fed up with his own losing streak that she walks out on him.

The Eagles hire college UCLA football coach Dick Vermeil, but no one gives him much of a chance to revive the team. Vermeil, in his first press conference, shocks everybody by calling an open call tryout for anybody who wants to play for the Eagles. A bunch of losers show up, and everybody considers Vermeil’s idea a big joke, except Vince, who runs an incredible sprint and catches impossible passes.

Vermeil offers Vince a chance to be part of the team. His teammates hate him. They try to beat him to a pulp. Some of the local friends don’t like him because he’s abandoned his friends. Vince, without complaining or quitting, works hard to get a place on the team. After a couple bad games, he becomes one of their star players.

There’s much to like in INVINCIBLE. The best part is that it’s got very little foul language. Vince’s father sticks with him and says, “We don’t let anybody in our family fail.” His friends support him. Vince doesn’t grouse or complain. He figures out what needs to be done and does it in spite of the pain and suffering. He is a very heroic character.

The dialogue in INVINCIBLE is excellent, and the actors deliver it as if they were born and reared in Philadelphia. The football action is some of the best that’s ever been filmed.

The problems with the movie are few, and unfortunate. The script fails to have a plot point at the right time and so drags in the middle. This is unfortunate because most of the movie is very taut and compelling. Also, the script ends too quickly by not building to a climax and by letting the resolution occur in the credits. Finally, Vince and the new bartender, Janet, become passionately involved at one point. Given all of his other strong character traits, this involvement seems unnatural or at least inappropriate. It would have been better if their relationship had built over time instead of leading to one implied night of passion. Children, however, will not notice this flaw.

Overall, INVINCIBLE is a very good movie that could have been better. It’s a movie that will inspire teenagers and young adults to do the right thing to succeed.