The Fighting Irish's Leprechaun

Rating: 7/10 (5 January 2010)

Sean Astin stars in the true story of Daniel E. Ruettiger, aka Rudy who wanted more than anything else to play for Notre Dame's legendary Fighting Irish football team. To be part of the legend that is Notre Dame, the legend of Knute Rockne, George Gipp, The Four Horsemen, Frank Leahy, Johnny Lujack, Terry Brennan right up to when Astin entered the college with Ara Parseghian as the coach.
The right actor was cast in the lead, Sean Astin is short, but built like outdoor brick lavatory. Good enough for high school football where only a very few go on to college on athletic scholarships and those are big guys who might just make it in the professional leagues. But in Indiana, especially around South Bend, it's Notre Dame which is the be all, end all for football. Very similar in culture that way to southern towns, but with a Catholic twist to it.
We see young Rudy listening to records of Knute Rockne's fighting speeches and imitating them. If memory serves the one he's listening to is the same one Pat O'Brien used in Knute Rockne - All American.
Astin actually makes the team when he impresses everyone with his grit and heart. And he proves to be more than a mascot type, he's an inspiration to his teammates and to the audience watching Rudy.
Look for fine performances from Ned Beatty as his blue collar father, Robert Prosky as a sympathetic priest/member of the Notre Dame faculty and Charles S. Dutton who is maintenance worker and former member of the Fighting Irish fallen on some hard times.
Rudy's a very old fashioned film, the kind Hollywood used to make in abundance, but sadly not any more. Great viewing for football fans of all ages.