Football nobody hits hard but doesn't tackle

Rating: 6/10 (28 August 2006)

Inspiring by-the-numbers, sports underdog movie that gets a surprisingly heartfelt, authentic treatment given the Disney pedigree and the general rehashed theme. This particular John Smith-soon-to-be- sports-star comes to us by way of Walberg's Vince Papale, the real life Philly Eagle who rose from obscurity to become one of those he was, only last season, seen idolizing. The general theme undoubtedly effects itself on the viewer, though the real life hopes of head coach Dick Vermille (the always reliable Greg Kinnear), in his unprecedented move to appoint Papale to the front lines due in part to the amount of heart his new star would infuse the tired old team, is doubtful at best. While the movie climaxes in a way that merely foreshadows the winning era these late 70's footballers were about to recapture, the validation Papale feels during his one victorious game seems sufficient enough to bring closure on this personal tale. Unfortunately, due to the intense but short starting period only being covered in this great career, the vision that Vermille saw in this player for building the foundation of his new winning team is hardly justified to the viewer, leaving with a conclusion that does feel warm and fuzzy, but not quite as powerful or realistic as film fans, especially sports fans would have wanted..This flies in the face of the otherwise realistic tone (albiet for Disney standards) that was taken to project the time and culture of this particular piece. Walberg continues to impress with the subtle refining of his craft, working throughout those long battle hardened years to peel away the macho posing which dominated his early life. His scaled back, nuanced approach lends itself nicely to the humble nature of his quiet character, beckoning audiences to cheer for his catches, and grunt for his tackles, in true Hollywood sports movie fashion.