Perfect (well, almost)

Rating: 9/10 (26 August 2006)

OK, I'll admit it -- I am Philadelphia-born and a die-hard Eagles fan since 1967, and Dick Vermeil's son was in my 12th Grade high school homeroom class. So maybe there's a little bias here. That said, I absolutely loved this movie, and was near tears 20 seconds into it and many times after that. "Invincible" shows how football is so much more than just (as my wife might say) "a bunch of guys running up and down a big lawn" -- it brightens our tougher days with hope, and, better yet, is something that can and often does inspire us to strive for worthwhile goals in our personal lives. Greg Kinnear faithfully captures Dick Vermeil's personality, mannerisms, energy and heart. The portrayal of the fans' feelings toward the Eagles in the mid-1970s is also spot-on. Most soundtrack song choices are very "1970's" and add to the mood. And often the attention to detail is astounding, like when the Dallas Cowboys' offense lines up for the snap and their linemen... (OK I won't give it away)
However, sometimes the attention to detail is really, really bad.
When oh when is Hollywood going to make a movie (or TV show) about "blue collar" Philadelphia where the people on screen actually speak with a Philadelphia accent? Isn't it someone's job to research this stuff so that the movie looks, sounds and feels authentic? Attention Hollywood: The Philadelphia twang is unique. (Think of Hardball's Chris Matthews and multiply by 2.) Philadelphians do NOT sound just like "Rocky" or street bums from Brooklyn, any more than Roman emperors -- despite what you hear in gladiator flicks -- spoke with a British accent. Use a REAL Philadelphia accent and it will add a charming and truthful dimension to your "Philadelphia" movie! Also: (1) Philadelphia sportscasters in 1976, like most big-city sportscasters, were articulate, well-dressed and well-groomed; they were NOT dimwitted, punch-drunk slobs; (2) There has never been a local Channel 11 in Philadelphia; (3) The Italian neighborhoods in South Philly in 1976 may have been modest, but they were almost always clean and tidy, not awash in garbage and filth; (4) The exterior of Veterans Stadium is faithfully cloned, so how come the interior turns out to be Franklin Field (which the Eagles left after the 1970 season)?; (5) The opening words to the Eagles' fight song "Fly Eagles Fly" are (surprise, surprise) "Fly Eagles Fly", not "Fight Eagles Fight" -- and to my knowledge Eagles' fans did not sing the words until much more recently than 1976; and (6) Likewise, the "E-A-G-L-E-S" cheer, to my knowledge, did not appear until around 1980 (when the Eagles went to the Super Bowl), and back then it was chanted much more slowly than it is today. If you Disney people can't find a "Philadelphia" consultant anywhere in Tinseltown (or Anaheim, or Burbank, or Lake Buena Vista, or wherever the heck it is you make your movies), you can hire me. Just feed me a "Cheese With" from Cosmi's or Tony Luke's -- but not the non-existent Columbo's -- and I'm yours for the day.
Glad that's out of my system. Now, back to the main point -- don't miss "Invincible".