Go Vince!

Rating: 8/10 (26 August 2006)

For those of us who remember the Cinderella story of Vince Papale, the wild Italian from South Philly who was a walk-on with the hapless Eagles and played three seasons with them, this movie is a sheer delight. Although Wahlberg doesn't look anything like Papale, his grit and go attitudes along with his agility make the story come alive. At a time during the Reaganomic years when jobs were disappearing like water on a hot stone, Papale a part-time teacher and bartender was selected by new coach, Vince Vermeil, as a walk-on to play on special teams. Playing largely on pure guts and natural talent, Papale went on to capture the imagination of Philadelphia fans and won a place in the hearts and imagination of all of us. The probability of such events are low but there is always that mythic hope that "it could happen to one of us-- maybe even me." This film which does not lavish a lot of time on maudlin themes has just enough sentiment not to be sentimental and enough sentiment to show the impact of a local boy making good when all the chips seems stacked against him. This is one of our most popular American myths and when we see it in films like The Rookie,Glory Road, Miracle and now, Invincible, which are built people slipping into fame and celebrity, we love it because it always sparks that hope that dwells deep in our American ethos.