First of all, I have to say that I'm generally not a fan of biopics, they just aren't the type of movie I seek out. I got tickets to the sneak preview and my wife really wanted to go. Anyway, that preamble out of the way, I really did enjoy the movie.

Eddie the Eagle is a story about an underdog in every sense of the word. One theme that is repeated throughout the movie, is the quote from Pierre de Coubertin (father of the modern Olympics), "The important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win, but to take part; the important thing in Life is not triumph, but the struggle; the essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well." The story follows Eddie from the time he's a little kid with dreams of going to the Olympics. It follows him through his many assorted set-backs, and all the people around him who saw only failure in his future. It also shows the moments when he got helping hands when he most needed it. This movie is about his struggle.

The casting in the movie was quite good. I remember Eddie the Eagle from TV when I was young, and Taron Egerton does an excellent job in the role of Eddie. Hugh Jackman puts in a good performance as the coach Bronson Peary, and manages not to overpower Eddie's character. But while Taron Egerton really assumes the part of Eddie, a lot of Hugh Jackman leaks into his role as coach Peary.

The roles of Eddie's parents are also well played, and the actress playing his mother, Jo Hartley, gives a particularly poignant portrayal. The father, played by Keith Allen (currently uncredited on IMDb) is a bit of a caricature, but well acted. Actually, a lot of the supporting cast of characters are caricatures, especially the other ski-jumpers/coaches and the British Olympians/Olympic Committee. But to an extent that serves to emphasize the struggle for Eddie. Also, for those intent on seeing this film for Christopher Walked, he has a very small role.

While, I have emphasized the struggle aspect of the story, there is a lot of comedy thrown into the mix as well. The tone is upbeat throughout, even when Eddie has setbacks. While some of the failures are played for laughs (mostly early in the film), it's mostly Eddie's perseverance that makes this film endearing. It also feels like we're laughing with Eddie rather than at him, since it seems Eddie's in on the joke.

If you're on the fence about seeing this movie, I say give it a shot.

Some films are merely created for entertainment and to tell a story. This is one of those films that you're not going to hear about during award season but it was certainly satisfying and worth the time.

Egerton was a perfect choice to play Eddie, from his off beat humor to his on spot facial expressions, and Hugh Jackman is a great compliment as the supporting role. Both characters are total opposites, each flawed in their own way, but really mesh together on screen.

The movie is fun and the story, based on the Eddie the Eagles dream of going to the Olympics, was nicely told with clean comedy paced throughout.

Not knowing the outcome of the true story, I was on edge rooting for Eddie throughout - just like the crowds in the stands on film.

Really glad they made this film, it's such a fun story and Eddie The Eagle is so deserving for a film that honors his hard work dedicated to his Olympic dream.

Have fun with this one!

If ever there was a feel-good movie, this is it! Based on a true story, this film is suspenseful, dramatic and hilarious all in one, resulting in an insanely entertaining feature. Taron Egerton is brilliant as hero Eddie Edwards. He conveys emotion so well that you feel every feeling, every failure and every triumph. He is perfect as the nerd, likable hero and champion. Hugh Jackman is perfectly cast as a has-been champion who unwillingly becomes Eddie's coach. His 'Bo Derek' scene is fabulously hilarious and brilliantly acted.

I remember Eddie the Eagle as a joke, a laughing stock, incessantly pilloried by the gutter press and sneered-at by the mainstream media alike.

This film made me realise just how wrong I was.

Those shots peering down from the top of the ramp at the tiny people in the distance barely hint at the terror, standing up there and knowing that when you set off, there is only one way down.

They don't so much fall, as plummet.

I enjoyed the humour and the music, but most of all the story ... just ... worked. I know it's dramatised, it's not a documentary. Doesn't matter. It was something unique, truly special. And the film captures the essence of Eddie's '15 minutes of fame' in a remarkably positive and upbeat way. A true Olympian.

A very funny, enjoyable and inspiring movie for the whole family.

A human interest film that are rare these days with so many movies that rely on bravado and special effects.

Based on a true story, which proves if you have dreams from a young age that persist you should follow them no matter what the odds are against them and ignore all the doubters that tell you you cannot achieve them.

The human spirit and believing in one's self are very powerful forces.

Eddie is a character that you cannot dislike.

Hugh Jackman's character helps Eddie achieve his dream since Eddie would not be deterred.

Eddie unknowingly helps Hugh Jackman's character out of his funk and he is re-born again.

We highly recommend this film.

It was a pretty good movie, like most of the movies that have ties to reality. My biography was not consistent. Fine, it was fun. If it were not for the truth, it would definitely be the last scene kissing scene. But there was no love in the movie. This really went up for me. Apart from these, the filmin music and the actors were beautiful. These plus points also prevented me from paying attention to the clichés.

He's also a really good player at Taron.

It was really nice Eddie was slowly realizing his dreams. In the last part of the scenes I learned how this feeling is now. It was a really good movie.

I've seen some sport films through the years but I've actually never seen one about ski jumping. Eddie the Eagle is the truth based story of the British ski jumper Michael "Eddie" Edwards who participated in the 1988 Olympic winter games in Calgary, Canada. Eddie has since childhood, dreamed of becoming an Olympic participant. When he gets older and is denied to compete in downhill skiing by the British committee, he decides to try ski jumping instead. The problem is that the Olympic games is one year away and Eddie has never before in his life tried ski jumping. The incredibly charming Taron Egerton plays Eddie the Eagle and Hugh Jackman also takes part as the drunken American ex pro jumper Bronson Peary.

Classic underdog stories always works well within the sport genre and really are a well played card by now. And yet there is something with the story about Eddie that grabs hold of me. Nobody believes in him, he is odd and rather strange. Despite dealing with all the resistance and sometimes humiliation, he never gives up. The thing that also really keeps me interested is the ski jumping. I have always found that sport pretty funny, but I now seriously have to confess that I would never dare to jump that high with skis on. Hugh Jackman's mentor character is actually very cliché and perhaps a bit exaggerated. They should probably have toned him down to add a little more realism in the story.

According to the filmmakers the story is really not that truthful, especially not the parts about Eddie Edward's life outside of ski jumping. His result and what happened to him is however not changed that much, but besides that much of the story is made for film. I really don't think that's a problem. I rank Rocky as my favorite sport film and it is because I think that the ultimate sport film needs an underdog story. It is actually the same thing here in Eddie the Eagle. A struggle for the little man and a display with an encouragement to never give up. Perhaps well needed in our sometimes dark world.

David Lindahl - www.filmografen.se

As a Southern-Californian, snow might as well come from a different world. We receive at the most, a few flurries in the winter, but even then, it needs to be on a full moon on a leap year if it's not Tuesday. That said, we can still provide a wealth of athletes in sports that are played in the winter. Both local ice hockey teams, the Anaheim Ducks and the Los Angeles Kings, have won the Stanley Cup and are seen as some of the best hockey teams in America. Shaun White, famous snowboarder, hails from San Diego and Michelle Kwan, the figure skater, is from the L.A. area.

The lesson here is that a champion can come from anywhere. A good movie that provides this example is Cool Runnings from Disney. This portrays the country of Jamaica creating a bobsled team for the 1988 Winter Olympics. Though goofy and clearly not a realistic representation of what happened, the movie was upbeat about one following their dreams to become an Olympic athlete. What's interesting that today's movie was set during the same 1988 Olympics. Eddie the Eagle looks at an aspiring ski jumper as he tries to go fro the gold.

Ever since he was a young boy, Eddie Edwards has wanted to go to the Olympics, yet has little athletic skill. He tries his hand at several sports until he sees skiing as his best shot. As an adult, Eddie (played by Taron Egerton) seems to be doing well, he's not selected to join the British downhill skiing team due to his odd technique and just simply not being one of the best. He then sees that the country has not had a ski jumper in a long time, and decides to take advantage of that empty spot to secure a spot.

He packs his bags for Germany at the official training facility where his attempts to mingle with the other ski jumpers are met with laughter. While trying out the hills, he comes across alcoholic snow groomer Bronson Peary (played by Hugh Jackman). Eddie finds out that he used to be a part of the American Olympic team under the coaching of Warren Sharp (played by Christopher Walken). He takes pity and agrees to give Eddie the proper coaching. Eddie manages to win a local match that qualifies him to join the Olympic team. While the odds of winning are low, he's happy to be chasing his dream.

Eddie the Eagle sounds like your run of the mill sport biography and…basically is…but it's also self aware of that and has fun with itself. I can't think of another movie where ski jumping is portrayed and it looks really cool on a cinematic scale. The sport's high flying action allows for some impressive shots to prove that it was not computer generated.

Like Cool Runnings, it's also clearly not using the same story, given how silly a lot of the scenes flow. While it's not laugh out loud hilarious, it makes up by being just as upbeat as the latter. Taron Egerton is proving his worth as an actor, managing to be the perfect athlete and dweeb in one crazy experiment. You know his character is out of their element, but Taron makes him very likable. Hugh Jackman does well as his coach, more or less throwing in a lot of his charm and ability to play off the comedic writing to his advantage. Hugh gains cool points for his shot of ski jumping with a cigarette in his mouth.

Going into Eddie the Eagle, you really need to be in the right mood for it to hit you in the right spot.

I'll give this eight and a half ski jumpers out of ten. Those that want a gripping story of an athlete should look someplace else. But for those that want something upbeat like Cool Runnings and Rudy, then Eddie the Eagle should please you well enough. Despite the premise, this is no downhill crash; it's a flier that knows where to land.

The film makers themselves warn you with the movie being publicized as a feel-good, underdog tale that provides family entertainment. And that is EXACTLY what this movie is!!! And even though the movie does not bring in anything new or more than what was expected from it, it is definitely a good watch.

The characters are extremely likable and the movie will have you rooting for 'Eddie' in no time.

From what I have read, the movie was not shot in Canada and is very loosely based on the actual life of the real Eddie the Eagle, so people from Calgary and people who actually know a lot about the real Eddie might be slightly disappointed.

With a nice touch of humor you cannot come away from this movie without feeling a sense of accomplishment regardless of the actual outcome. The movie inspires you to reflect on any challenge we may have faced on our own lives and inspires us to actually rethink how we may have handled it or behaved differently. Taron Edgerton played a very believable character giving the audience a real sense at who Eddie Edwards really was and how he lived his youth through perseverance and fortitude by simply not giving up. The film cleverly portrays this very quickly through a brief introduction into Eddies childhood. The story is written well and the story really gives us a sense of who Eddie is and the drive to fulfill a promise to himself. Hugh Jackman brings a humorous side to the film with just enough serious touch that you do not loose sight of the significant effort that was made by Eddie Edwards. I was glad to be invited to a early preview and hope that all who see this film enjoy it as much as I did.

'EDDIE THE EAGLE': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

A sports comedy-drama flick, based on the life of Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards; the first Olympic ski jumper, in 6 decades, to represent Great Britain. The movie stars Taron Egerton (in the title role) and Hugh Jackman. It was directed by Dexter Fletcher and co- produced by Matthew Vaughn (both Fletcher and Egerton have costarred in films directed by Vaughn before). The script was written by first time screenwriters Sean Macaulay and Simon Kelton. It bombed at the Box Office, but it did do well with the critics. I enjoyed it.

The story begins in Great Britain, in the early 70s, when Eddie Ewards (Tom Costello) was just a boy. He dreams of competing in the Summer Olympics, but later he realizes his skills are better suited for the Winter Games. As an adult, Eddie (Egerton) becomes a decently skilled skier; but he's rejected by the British Olympic officials, due to fear that he might embarrass them. Eddie then becomes determined to become the first Olympic ski jumper, in several decades, to represent Great Britain. He's mocked by other jumpers, but he later gains the reluctant coaching assistance of a drunken former American champion (Jackman).

The movie is clichéd, and a little overly sentimental (in places); but it's also extremely inspiring, and uplifting. Fletcher does a great job helming the movie, and both Egerton and Jackman are very likable in their roles. It's definitely nothing we haven't seen before, and it does feel a lot like a 'ROCKY' flick, but it's also a great feel- good movie. I think most viewers will enjoy it.

Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: https://youtu.be/UotWSwc37KA

Everyone loves a good underdog story, and sports films have always been a good avenue for those stories to thrive. I know a lot of people like to complain sometimes about 'biopics' and how they should be as close to the source material as possible, but I look at it a different way. I go to the movies for an experience. Whether that be to laugh, cry, smile, or whatever, I go for the experience. If a film would be better off taking plenty of liberties, I'm all for it. Eddie the Eagle definitely took that philosophy, and for the most part, it really worked.

First of all, I have to give a shout out to Elk Grove Cinema (not that they would actually be reading this) for inviting me to a preview screening of the film a few weeks before its wide release. Of course I jumped at the opportunity considering Hugh Jackman and the up and comer Taron Egerton were starring in a sports film, especially a seemingly uplifting one at that. The film absolutely did not disappoint. Similar to last week's Finest Hours, I went in with mediocre expectations, and came out very pleasantly satisfied with what I got. It's a feel good story that I think everyone can get behind. Eddie dreamed his entire life of competing in the Olympics and was told that he would never make it, naturally that's someone we would root for.

The good thing is that Egerton does more than just portray a sympathetic character. He transforms into Eddie the Eagle. I didn't know much about him before the film but it seems like he really pulled off Edwards' emotions and body language to a T. Jackman is also very good as the clichéd drunk washed up trainer that takes Eddie from being a wannabe to an Olympic athlete. I think that's what a lot of people will come out of the film saying, it's so clichéd. To an extent, they're not wrong. Each and every character is the prototype of what you would expect them to be, whether they are supporting Eddie or entirely against him. But I also don't think it was always a detriment to the film. Sometimes the clichés worked.

As I said, the film is incredible satisfying. It's one of the best examples of a pure crowd-pleaser. There's not much to dislike about the film. I absolutely loved the music choices including the score and some timely 80's song choices. Sure, I think the stakes could have been raised a bit here or there to give an even bigger emotional moment, but I can't say the film didn't already bring me to teary eyes at some points. And that to me, is an experience at the movies.

+Emotionally satisfying

+Egerton is terrific

+Music

+Jackman

-Some clichés are unnecessary

7.5/10

"Eddie the Eagle" is a delightful film, based on the true story of Eddie Edwards, a British skier who became the first competitor since 1929 to represent Great Britain in the 1988 Olympics.

These biopics follow a formula - the underdog, adversity, the gruff coach with a heart of gold, more adversity, and finally, triumph.

This biopic is no different. In the film, Eddie has spent a year in the hospital because of bad knees and wears a brace, which is removed in childhood.

Despite this problem, Eddie wants to be in the Olympics. He tries hurdle-jumping and, failing that, decides on speed skiing. He is on a team that is successful locally, but when it comes time to choose skiers for the Olympics, he is not chosen. Undaunted, he decides on ski jumping and sets off for Garmisch, Germany, to train on the course there. He is self-funded, has no coach and emerges a bloody, fractured mess.

Eddie is finally taken on by an ex-ski jumper, the hard-drinking Bronson Peary (Hugh Jackman). The British Olympic committee is not impressed with Eddie, and in fact, changes the qualifications for skiing so that he does not qualify. But Eddie isn't about to give up. When he finally qualifies, he's warned by Peary that if he loses, he won't be allowed another chance, and he will not be taken seriously. He wants Eddie to wait until the 1992 Olympics, but Eddie feels this is his moment.

This is an uplifting, inspirational film about never giving up on your dreams. Though we've seen it many times, it's always good to be reminded. Taron Egerton is wonderful as Eddie, who wears thick glasses, puts up with hazing and insults, and stays the course. Hugh Jackman provides some good star power, and as Eddie's mum, Jo Hartley is marvelous. The acting throughout is good, though most of the other characters are stereotypes.

It's hard to say how much dramatic license was taken with this movie - Eddie's bio makes no reference of hospitalization and bad knees as a child, though at the end of the film, there are photos of the real Eddie, and in one, he appears to be on crutches. He was self-funded and he wasn't upper class, which also works against him, and these are brought up in the film.

There is some beautiful ski jumping shown as well.

A good story told with warmth and humor about a man who today, known as Eddie the Eagle, remains a British celebrity.

Saw this movie at an advance screening and Eddie the Eagle was awesome.

The movie did not disappoint at all.

Great insight into the story of Eddie Edwards and the sport of ski jumping.

Very dangerous sport but very beautiful to look at.

The movie had a lot of heart and humor.

Will look forward to this movie making its way on Blu-ray.

I would gladly pay to add it to my collection.

Great visuals as well.

I wish the movie gets the praise it deserves as it really is better than a lot of the trash coming thru movie theaters now.

My husband and I saw this in a free screening prior to it opening for regular audiences, and I even wondered if I loved it so much because it was free, but I think I would have liked it just as much had I paid to see it! I do think that the movie benefits from being shown on a big wide screen with all the outdoor scenes - not sure I would have liked it so much had I seen it on a TV size screen. I felt all the characters were perfectly cast. While it may seem like a nit, the only annoying factor to me was that Eddie's glasses were falling down his nose the whole time - and while I know that was part of the character, it drove me crazy watching him!! However, the movie kept my interest the entire time, and was extremely enjoyable. By the end, I had tears of happiness streaming down my face - definitely one of the best feel-good movies I have seen in a long time!! HIGHLY recommend!!

Although his character wasn't real, it still made this biopic movie really well deserved as a feel good one to watch! I've heard of the real Eddie The Eagle on and off throughout the years, but I never knew exactly who he was in deep detail until a few days ago! I have to say Eddie Edwards didn't care what anyone thought of him as a 22 year old rookie, he just went at it with such pride and became successful as he known today!

Definitely recommend this movie if you really feel like watching a good biopic movie!

The British love a plucky loser. "Eddie the Eagle" tells the astonishing but true story of everyman plasterer Eddie Edwards who qualified for, and then competed in, the Calgary Olympics in 1988 (probably most famous for those other plucky losers – the Jamaican bobsleigh team of Disney's "Cool Runnings" fame). I have absolutely no idea how the traditionally more success-driven and competitive American audience will see it, but the packed English showing I attended all clearly loved this film as a feel-good classic.

The film starts with Eddie's childhood, struggling out of leg braces to try to pursue his Olympic dream with no success whatsoever. (Excellent performances here by brothers Tom and Jack Costello who set-up the tone for the film). His battle is not just against his lack of skill: whilst his mother (Jo Hartley) is quietly supportive, his father Terry (Keith Allen) is – not unreasonably it must be said – hugely frustrated at his son's fanciful ideas, wanting him to follow in the family plastering tradition with the same zeal. (The gulf in ambition is vast – Eddie: "Didn't you have a dream when you were younger Dad?"; Terry: "Yes, plastering".)

Eventually Eddie finds a sport he is half decent in (by British standards!): downhill skiing, but is thwarted in following his Olympic dreams by smarmy and sneering Olympic selector Dustin Target, played by Tim McInnerny (from "Black Adder" and "Notting Hill"… someone who has rather cornered the market on 'smarmy and sneering'). It is then that he exploits ancient rules in the UK Olympic playbook to try to qualify in the discipline of ski-jumping: something no one has done since the 1920's. Linking up in Austria with an alcohol-infused coach and ex- jumper Bronson Peary (Hugh Jackman), Eddie faces the terrors of the 40m and then 70m jumps to try to learn the sport (16 years too late).

This film has been long in gestation, with both Steve Coogan and Rupert Grint originally earmarked for the role. But Matthew Vaughn's involvement in the current project probably contributed to Taron Egerton getting the job following their work together on last year's "Kingsman". And a great choice he is too. Almost unrecognizable from the sharp- suited Eggsy in "Kingsman" and gangster-sidekick Teddy in "Legend", Egerton switches effortlessly between clueless goofball and steely determined sportsman.

The film's emotional heart though is with Hugh Jackman's side-story, battling with drink after throwing his own chance away with US-coach Warren Sharp (a nice cameo by Christopher Walken). Although going a little OTT at times (we see for example that he is no Meg Ryan!), Jackman provides a solid acting foundation that the rest of the cast can play off.

Rounding out the cast are solid performances from Jo Hartley ("This is England") as Eddie's Mum, Mark Benton ("Waterloo Road") as a BOA official, Rune Temte as a bear of a Norwegian coach and the ever-warming Jim Broadbent as a BBC commentator.

An 'attaboy' should also go to the special effects crew headed up by Marty McLaughlin for making believe a man can fly. Whilst – you understand – not in any way doubting Jackman's ability to risk his pretty face on a 90m jump, the nighttime sequence of him doing that jump is really nicely executed (with cinematography by George Richmond).

A quick browse at Wikipedia will make it clear that there has been a lot of license taken with this as a "true story", and to be fair the prefix "based on a.." was used! And the film is not without irritations: Terry's negativity to his son's actions is about 25% overplayed in Simon Kelton's story, and the coach/protégé sub-plot has been overused in the past. The soundtrack (music) by Matthew Margeson is also rather grating particularly early on in the film: it is presumably going for 'period' in its use of Hammond organ cheesiness, but that music was tiresome in the 80's too! Fortunately Margeson redeems himself with some kick-ass (no pun intended) classic 80's tracks neatly edited into the action.

These criticisms aside, I dare you to come out of this film without a silly grin on your face. I certainly did. Directed by Dexter Fletcher ("Sunshine on Leith") it's not likely to win any Oscars, but in setting out to deliver what it said on the can it succeeded in all respects.

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The clumsy Michael "Eddie" Edwards (Taron Egerton) has dreamed on participating in the Olympics Games since he was a boy. Eddie is not accepted by the British committee in skiing but not aware of his limits, he decides to dispute the dangerous ski-jumping sport. He befriends the former notorious alcoholic jumper Bronson Peary (Hugh Jackman) that helps him giving some instructions how to jump. Eddie succeeds to go to the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics but is rejected by everybody. When he decides to participate in the 90-meter jump, Bronson travels to Calgary to support him. What will happen to Eddie, The Eagle?

"Eddie The Eagle" is a film based on true events of a reckless and stubborn man that has decided to go to the Olympics since he was a boy. The screenplay shows a charismatic young man, but the main character has visibly psychological problems. Once he did not die in his stupid decision, he may have been worshiped and the writer decided to show him maybe as an example of determination and not stubbornness and irresponsibleness. But the feel-good film is highly entertaining and worthwhile watching. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Voando Alto" ("Flying High")

So many movies have injected liberal amounts of post-modernist snark as of late. If done right the snark translates to layers and layers of humor and meta-humor that rewards repeated viewings. Deadpool (2016) certainly comes to mind as the strongest recent example. If done wrong however, it becomes an unbearable echo chamber of self- congratulatory wink-winks and nudge-nudges (Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp (2015) anyone?). Eddie the Eagle is not a snarky movie. It's unabashedly sincere and tenacious in its embrace of the inspiring no matter how corny.

Eddie the Eagle is based on the true story of Eddie Edwards (Egerton) an amateur skier who represented Great Britain during the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada. Known early on for his tenacity, the movie represents him as a naive young man with a penchant for clumsiness. Failing every attempt to be qualified as a downhill skier, Eddie makes his way to Garmish-Partenkirchen, Germany to learn and master the Olympic sport of ski jumping. While there, he's openly ridiculed by all for his lack of talent, finance and balance. Taking notice of Eddie's near suicidal commitment however, is former Olympic team washout Bronson Peary (Jackman), who takes him under his wing and trains him for success on the slopes.

Your ability to outright love Eddie the Eagle is predicated on your ability to absorb cliché. This film is an inspirational sports movie that knowingly borrows elements from other movies right down to the stuffy official who undermines Eddie's attempts to qualify (McInnerny). Yes there are training montages set to catchy 80's tunes, yes there's the obligatory hard to please parent (Allen) and yes there's the inspirational moment, right before the climax, where our hero gets encouragement from an unexpected source. What makes this movie special is it runs at these clichés head-on; as if they're not story elements directly lifted from Rocky (1976), Ski Patrol (1990) and Hot Dog...The Movie (1984). Much like Eddie himself, the movie doesn't care if it wins records; it's just happy to be on-screen warming your heart and making you laugh. One can't help but admire such enthusiasm.

Of course if you're too cynical for a feel good sports movie you can at least appreciate the stellar cast rounded out by Taron Egerton. The man is destined for stardom providing the same underdog sensitivity he brought to Kingsman's (2014) Eggsy only with a deft sense of comedic timing. Jackman isn't at his best but boy does he seem to be having a lot of fun playing the permanently drunk Peary. He refers his flask as his "jacket," and has a chemistry with Egerton that borders on brotherly. Jo Hartley and Keith Allen are polar opposites as Eddie's parents and provide much of the humor in their back and forths. You can tell they both mean well yet Hartley is constantly undermining Allen's pragmatic approach to Eddie's struggles. She's the dreamer, he's the realist; both wear their characters well.

Eddie carries with him a lunchbox filled with all the medals he's won throughout the years. Most of those medals consist of broken, thick-framed glasses with insanely thick lenses. Those who scoff at the state of sport today and make a stink about how competition is being scuttled by participation trophies are missing the point. Sportsmanship is not about beating the other guy, it's about achieving your personal best. This movie wears that theme firmly on its sleeve and it's truly a joy to see something that doesn't resort to self-reference to get it's point across. While not a masterpiece in the purest sense, Eddie the Eagle firmly places itself as this generation's Rudy (1993).

A determined and likable underdog, Eddie "the Eagle" Edwards captured the hearts and minds of Olympic fans in the late 1980's with his never say die attitude and ability to play up to the crowd with larrikin antics, so it was always inevitable that someone would take this story and do a Cool Runnings like feel good job of it and this person just so happened to be actor turned director Dexter Fletcher.

Fletcher has well and truly stuck to the rule book here with his take on Eddie the Eagle, it feels like a close cousin to Cool Runnings (which gets a sneaky look in on a radio broadcast in the film) and his added a cold hearted turned likable coach to the mix with Hugh Jackman's created for the film Bronson Peary but while Eddie the Eagle trudges along, ticking the necessary boxes this is a film that never really soars or invents its own character to come up trumps.

Filmed almost as if it's been cut straight from the 80's with his era infused soundtrack and Adidas filled costumes, Fletcher handles the set pieces and danger of the sport well but Taron Edgerton's incarnation of Eddie never fully feels like a good fit for the breakout star of Kingsman: The Secret Service and his performance is a major contributor to a film that feels like a mimicker rather than a film creating its own vibe. It's amusing that in a film based on such outstanding true life moments and around such colourful characters that Hugh Jackman's imaginary Peary comes across as the most interesting and fully formed even if his arc as a coach is anything but original.

There'll be a lot of fans of Eddie the Eagle (it's IMDb rating attests to that) and it's a film likely to be adored around this time of Olympics hype and love but you can't help but escape the feeling that Fletcher's film is a rather too generic look at a real life athlete that was anything but and while it's nice for films to walk in the footprints of those successful stories of old, its often necessary that they look to ad their own flavour to proceedings which Eddie the Eagle fails to do.

2 ½ Bo Derek's out of 5