Hopkins' greatest performance in years

Rating: 9/10 (20 February 2006)

This film is about the story of Burt Munro, who has dreamed of going to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah to test how fast his 1920 motorcycle would go. He ended up setting a new land speed record. This movie is basically the Anthony Hopkins show and it is his best performance since "Hearts in Atlantis." He has always played these guys who are repressed and evil (and he's played them well), but this guy is more happy go lucky and follows through on his dreams. Hopkins should have gotten an Oscar nomination for his performance, but he didn't. Roger Donaldson directed Tony in "The Bounty" in 1984 and Tony did not work well with him. This time, though, it works and clicks. The guy knew the real Munro and actually did a documentary on him before he died. You could tell that Donaldson and Hopkins worked well together to create a good story. And that's what this film is about. It's a great story with a great actor in it. See this movie!!!