A decent movie with a kick-ass soundtrack

Rating: 8/10 (26 August 2006)

I'll admit it's pretty easy to get me to like "feel good" sports movies and walking into this one you know what you're going to get. Two parts of the movie did surprise me, though, and in a great way.
1. The opening credits sequence. Set to Jim Croce's "I Got a Name" in it's entirety, this beautifully shot sequence gives a great set up to Philadelphia 1975. None of the actors from the movie are in it and it is perfect. And then that opening birds eye sweep into the stadium is pretty bitchin'...
2. The home opening game montage set to "Stranglehold" by Ted Nugent. This song kicks ass and has been used in movies to effect before (see: Dazed & Confused) but the way the pounding rhythm of this classic rock anthem parallels the football field poundings both given and received by Papale and teammates...well it makes we want to make out with the editors of this movie!
The music supervisors on this one really did a great job!