[Movie Review] Eddie the Eagle (2016)

Eddie the Eagle is a 2016 British-American biographical sports drama film directed by Dexter Fletcher. Inspired by true events, the film stars Taron Egerton as Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards, a British skier who in 1988 became the first competitor to represent Great Britain in Olympic ski jumping. Hugh Jackman and Christopher Walken also star.

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Eddie the Eagle is a feel-good story about Edwards, an unlikely but courageous ski-jumper who never stopped believing in himself – even as an entire nation was counting him out.  With the help of a rebellious and charismatic coach (played by Hugh Jackman), Eddie takes on the establishment and wins the hearts of sports fans around the world by making an improbable and historic showing at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics.

I watched the preview screening last night and quite enjoyed it. I did a bit of background reading about the real Eddie before watching the movie, hence I sort of know what to expect in terms of the storyline and outcome.

The coach character played by Jackman is entirely fictional. The real Eddie trained himself without a coach as he was dead broke. Nonetheless, the coach character is instrumental in adding depth to an otherwise very one-dimensional triumph-against-all-odds story.

It is puzzling how Eddie was being loathed and sanctioned against by the Olympic folks back then, given that his dogged spirit to compete, regardless of outcome, is precisely what is being championed these days at Olympics Games, versus the commercialisation of sports. I should know, I worked at the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympic Games. 

Love this quote which was flashed at the end of the film:

“The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning, but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.” – Pierre de Coubertin, founder of modern Olympic Games.

Eddie embodies this spirit and it is with this spirit that the film tells such an inspirational tale. Go catch it if you need something to give you that extra push in life to achieve something you are really passionate about.

I was inspired after the show for sure cause I went home and jog twice the distance I usually do for my daily run.

Btw, there is a fun Eddie the Eagle sweater generator which you can generate your own custom sweaters to share with your friends and family. I made one for my son, Asher:

Eddie the Eagle will be showing in Singapore cinemas from 31 March and is rated PG13.