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Rating: Null/10 (15 September 1998)

This is the second great movie from director David Anspaugh and writer Angelo Pizzo. The first, of course, was "Hoosiers," the best sports movie of all time. Now comes "Rudy," which was based on a true story, just as "Hoosiers" was.
Both of these films capture the mystical, idyllic quality of their era and their sport. They bring back a sense of innocence, when people played their game just for the opportunity to play. Neither film is about the preening, glitzy athlete who loves the limelight and high dollars. For a change, these are films that make us feel good about sports again, films that inspire us to grow and grab and succeed no matter what the cost. You cannot watch "Rudy" without almost smelling the grass in the stadium ot the fresh gold paint on the helmets. The energy of the game is alive and almost overwhelming.
I only wish that Anspaugh and Pizzo would collaborate on another true-sports movie. The 1980 US hockey team is prime material for just such a film, and even though I have heard that such a film has already been done, that hockey team is a story that only the Anspaugh/Pizzo duo could effectively tackle.
Do yourself a favor: go rent "Rudy" and "Hoosiers" and watch them as many times as you can. They both remind us of the most important function of athletic competition, which is to lift our spirits and distract us from our lives.