Eddie the Eagle

The film could hardly surprise me as I had watched Eddie Edwards at the Calgary Olympics, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s a great film about a great man. I remember watching his efforts at the Olympics on TV. I couldn't help laughing. Interestingly, I didn't laugh at Eddie, I laughed with Eddie and the film brought that feeling back. You just can't dislike the man; I think he did more for the sport than many a champion. I had fun and enjoyed some nostalgic memories. (07/13/2016)

The famous Calgary Olympics did not only have the Jamaican bobsledders, but also – of course – the English ski jumper Eddie Eagle Edwards. And just like the Jamaican bobsledders, he was able to draw all the attention to himself and this movie is about that. I liked the way this movie tells Eddie’s story with absolutely no embellishments. Eddie is introduced as a sort of a silly dreamer who wants to get to the Olympics, so he learns to ski jump in a year and somehow qualifies for the Olympics. In a single year. He must have really embarrassed all the professional ski jumpers who have been training since they were 6 years old; he truly did, in all his splendor. And the amazing drunkard Hugh Jackman has helped him so well that I had the feeling like I was watching Cool Runnings for the first time. That’s also why the Jamaican flag was mentioned in one of the scenes, because the most important thing isn’t really winning, but taking part. And even though the athletes have it complicated, the flying Finn said it very nicely at the end of the movie. (11/07/2016)

A silly family story about a moron following his dream. It's hard to see what this is actually doing in A-list filmmaking, because you're not going to get a more clichéd story this year. Hugh Jackman's character is utterly predictable and, more importantly, severely boring and uninteresting. Taron Egerton plays someone that is supposed to be endearing and we are supposed to sympathise with him, but it doesn't happen. The attempt to recreate the non-confrontational attitude and lightweight drama of Cool Runnings is eye-rolling and annoying, because this patchwork has neither charm nor a interesting story. The only thing that saves it from a total collapse are a few good moments and a really novel ski jumping theme. (06/11/2016)

A heart-warmer and feelgood movie. Eddie is one stubborn mule who wins over the viewer. Egerton is marvelous, somewhere on the edge between reality and a nice version for the masses, and Jackman’s role is fits him like a glove. The jump with the cigarette was brilliant. Precise direction and a screenplay that sticks to reality, 80’s synth music, great atmosphere and Garmisch-Partenkirchen... I wondered at the jumping ramps as a kid. (05/01/2016)

Clearly, there are characters here that are incredibly clichéd, even though they are well acted - that applies, for example, to the character of Hugh Jackman, who has such charisma that he still captivates you. But the film is filled with such positive energy that you don't care if there are any flaws, because you will also absorb that energy and be in a pleasant mood, touched, and glad that you saw Eagle. (05/30/2016)