Good Genre Movie

Rating: 7/10 (20 October 2006)

"Invincible" is a genre movie. It is a sports hero movie and of the type it was good. The genre calls for lots of male bonding touching, big handshakes, back thumps, hugs with back thumps, hugs sans thumps, etc. It also calls for a certain maudlin feeling in the absence of thumps and sports and this was in abundance in the life is hard dialog. A love interest is also needed and was provided by Elizabeth Banks whose tonsils were examined by Mark Wahlberg with their first kiss. I thought the photography outside of the football shots was pretty bad. I thought it was dark, blurry and grainy maybe trying to look depressing when contrasted with the footballs scenes. In short the movie provided just what you expect from the genre. Don't get me wrong I liked the movie but I just wasn't impressed by the stereotypical set ups. The football scenes make the movie. Once they are start concentrating on the Eagles and Greg Kinnear as Dick Vermeil the movie was much better. I am not an especially rabid football fan but the Eagle's scenes were exciting. They were well photographed and choreographed and were exciting and affecting. Mark Wahlberg and Greg Kinnear were very good in their roles and the rest of the cast were good given the dialog they were given. The basic story of a bartender given a chance to play professional football, especially since it was true, was uplifting and this movie portrayed the excitement and hope that this event gave to the city. If you're a football fan the movie is a must see. Others may find the maudlin tone of the non-football scenes too much. I liked the movie and recommend it.