Not Exactly Invincible

I have two theories on Invincible if you are not an Eagles fan.  You may really like this movie OR you will absolutely hate it.  You may really like it because you won't see all of the false truths.  You may really hate it because you don't give a rats ass about Philadelphia or the Eagles and without that the movie is pretty bland.  I obviously have a Philly bias so there were some fun parts to this movie which I could appreciate: the nostalgic talk of players like Tommy McDonald, Norm Van Brocklin, Steve Van Buren, etc.  In the scene when Vince Papale tells of how his father told the story over and over of Steve Van Buren making the big play(1) in 1948 to win the NFL Championship, I immediately thought of my Dad telling the story of being at the game where Wilbert Montgomery's run against Dallas in 1980 sent them to the Superbowl.  Someday I'll probably tell my kid I was in the first row at the 50 yard line for 4th and 26.  All sports fans can relate to parts of the movie like this.  Take all the nostalgia away and you are left with a pretty weak movie.

This is a Disney movie and it really shows.  It could have been a grittier look at Philadelphia in the '70s, showing how football is really a big deal in this city, of how Philly embraces the blue collar player.  But it wasn't.  It needed the authentic bums on the street corner feel that Rocky had, not the Disneyfied representation of South Philly with it's fake cheesesteak joint.  I wanted Paulie and Mickey and all we got were Tommy and Johnny.

Invincible is a movie which is loosely based on Vince Papale, whose story was an incredible one.  It's a movie worth checking out if you are from Philadelphia or an Eagles fan.  Just make sure you don't even come close to expecting Papale to go the distance with Creed.

The opening scene after the inial intro is a fun shot of a game at the Vet and much to the delight of me, the entire stadium was booing.

Some things that bothered me and a few things I liked:
-Marky Mark pours out the remainder of his beer after the end of an Eagles game as he sits in the 700 level.  This would obviously never happen in the 700 level.
-The view from the 700 level looked like you were sitting on the field.  I want those tickets.
-Since when did the Vet have a track on the field?  Obviously this was filmed at Franklin Field, but couldn't they have cut that out?
-When the fans trying out sang the fight song, they sang "fight Eagles fight, on the road to victory."  These two lines would never follow each other.  I found this to be a particularly painful scene hearing this get botched.
-The featured news reporter was played by actor Jack Kehler who most of you know as The Dude's landlord from The Big Lebowski.  I kept expecting to hear him ask us to come watch his cycle and give him notes.  -Papale's father was played by the angry mailman in Funny Farm.
-The Eagles did actually lose to Cinci in 1975 by a score of 31-0 but it wasn't the final game of the season, just the final home game.
-The whole love story sucked, as to be expected.  Who falls in love with a Giants fan?
-They definitely had some sweet old school Eagles gear in this movie.
-Of course they mention that Philly booed Santa Claus.
-Weak ending.

1-From Answers.com: Van Buren's signature game came on December 26, 1948. Playing in a blizzard for the NFL Championship against the Chicago Cardinals, Van Buren scored the only touchdown of the game to give the Eagles their first league title. They would win their second crown a year later. In that game, Van Buren set a league record with 196 yards rushing.

2-Papale wasn't actually from South Philly, he was from Glenolden.

Okay, so it was pretty bad, like real bad, but I kind of still liked it.

Comments

[SID]

i am pretty sure he did score a touchdown by recovering a fumble, it's been all over ESPN for the last month, his name is not marky mark it's mark walhberg.

[SPD]

"Marky Mark pours out the remainder of his beer after the end of an Eagles game as he sits in the 700 level. This would obviously never happen in the 700 level."

It would if it landed on a Cowboys fan.

[johnny goodtimes]

Come on, hand wringing about a track on the field? I mean, do you think anybody outside of Philly really gave a damn about where the Eagles played their home games in the 70s? But the movie still posted a fake Vet. The movie 10th and Wolf, which took place in South Philly, was filmed in freaking pittsburgh. Now that's something to complain about. And the stuff about what the final score of the final game of the season was? Come on, now you're sounding like a Trekkie complaining that the Enterprise had too many time crystals or some shit. But I will give you this: I've met people who loved Cowboys fans, and I've met people who've loved Steeler fans, but I've never met anyone who loved a Giants fan. Have you seen what Giants fans look like? They can't even love themselves. And you're right. Blowing the Eagle fight song is inexcusable.

[Drama Queen]

I'm still going to see the movie. I wasn't alive when this happened, so it won't upset me the amount of stretching of the truth.

Go Phils!

[Annie]

I saw an advance screening in NYC and it was kinda a bummer because it would have been so much better to watch in PA. It needed more "iggles" references. I could have done without the Rocky runs the night before training camp, but I liked the ending. It was exactly how I wanted the movie to end.

[Junkart]

This movie is deeper, there were guys tearing up with references to Nam mentioned, as well as their childhood dreams being lived out on the screen. You don't have to be an Eagles fan to understand this is about giving everything for that one thing you love. See it.

[Daniela]

I'm from Texas and I saw the movie opening night with my dad. It was a great movie. Very warm and heart felt and even if some of the truths were stretched (Papale didn't meet his now wife, Janet, while he was playing) it still had a good point and a good, although unexpected, ending. I love football movies and this one was unlike any I've ever seen. It wasn't "incredible" but definately worth seeing. There aren't many real live "hero" stories left to make a movie out of and Papale's story is definately one to tell to this generation.

[Daniel karis]

Everyone who is bashing this movie needs to shut their mouths. This movie is worth seeing. For Papale's story to be told to the young generation is just wonderful. It gives hope for those who are always told their not good enough.

[Ian]

I just got back from the theatre after watching this movie. It was a good movie, but not great. Like the original review said, it was a disney movie, and it showed. I would have like to have seen this movie made with a lot more grit, because they made Philly seem like a nice little quiet town and not the gritty city it really is. Even though there was some realism missing from this movie, I still loved it because I love movies with heart, and this movie had all the heart you could ask for. It is definetly worth seeing, so go see it!

[Lou]

It's a good movie and a better movie if you can relate to it...can't believe it was filmed in pittsburgh...disappointing. The other thing I wonder is..how exaggerated this movie is..I looked up his stats and playing 3 years for the eagles he only had one catch for 15 yards. So, Im assuming he was a special teams guy only. Although couldn't find if he really had a touchdown during is career with the eags. Hope he really did though. Another thing is, ashame he is living in n.jersey now and not philly, he must be still in deep love.

[enrico]

Lou, Invincible wasn't filmed in Pittsburgh. The movie 10th and Wolf which takes place in Philly was actually filmed in the Pittsburgh, not Invincible.

[johndewar]

The only real problem with this movie is that Papale was from Delaware County...not South Philly.....which is ultimately a minor point. The funny thing is if the movie stinks, everyone from Philly would make that differentiation, but since it's good, everyone will agree Papale is from Philadelphia. Other than that, I can't think of a single bad thing about the movie.

[chris]

you were called 'local sports geek' on Philebrity :D

[Dave]

The fight song that everyone says they got wrong in the movie, is actually correct for the time period. Sheesh, you guys call yourselves Eagles fans and don't know how the old fight song went.

[Jeff]

Enrico -- great review. I saw the movie up here in Boston with 15 Eagles fans this past week & your comments summarize my feelings exactly.

My other cut on the film was that the Philadelphia accents were terrible. The guys sounded like they were from Brooklyn. Not a single person used the classic Philly vernacular "youse twos" (I know that's more NE Philly than South Philly, but still...).

Otherwise, though, it was good to get at least one victory over the Giants this week, even if it was just a memory...

[billyono]

Movie was ok, but I can't help agreeing with alot of people here who said it was a little too homogenous... Papale was from Glenolden, worked in Ridley bar, and taught high school in Prospect Park. You throw in a Folcroft football connection, and a practice field in Eddystone, and this movie should have been more about the blue collar, and often overlooked suburbs, rather than the easy to identify, stereo typical southphilly. Christ, they should've went for southwest philly at the very least. Oh well. close enough I guess.
That's what happens when people from La make a movie with actors from new york and boston. 12 miles just dosen't matter a whole lot when your crew is spanning 3,000.

[Tony]

For any Yuengling Lager fans, there was a scene or two which showed Yuengling Lager on tap. The only problem is that in 1976 the Yuengling Lager brand was not yet introduced. That happened in 1987.

See => http://www.yuengling.com/history3.htm

[Jack]

Just saw "Invincible" on DVD, and here's one vote from a Redskins fan for Vince Papale, Dick Vermeil, and the city that loved them. I was in south Philly last New Year's Eve, so maybe something rubbed off, but for all of you natives who were disappointed in this movie's "false truths" (the stuff the movie didn't get quite right), this movie was meant for the rest of us and it works: It gives us a glimpse of the real heart of what it takes to go from losing to winning. Philadelphia, you lived that. Be happy the movie lets everyone else in on that "true truth".

[JIM L]

EAGLES S-CK GO PATRIOTS