Invincible - Movie Review

Year     -           2006

Cast      -           Mark Wahlberg (as Vence Papale), Elizabeth Banks (as Janet) and Greg
                         Kinnear (as Dick Vermeil)

Direct    -           Ericson Core

From     -           Walt Disney Pictures

If you have seen Shooter before you did this, you'd come to expect a lot from Mark Wahlberg. Nothing really stands out but you will like it anyways.

The movie is based on the real life story (1976) of Vince Papale of South Philadelphia. He is 30-year-old bartender. Broke. Loses his day job. And his wife walks out on him. What he does have in him is ample of football (rugby) – speed, heavy and hard, and presence of mind. And he is all for the Philadelphia Eagles. Night game wins at a muddy lot is enough for his friends to see the talent. So, when the coach for the struggling Eagles calls for open try outs, he gives it a shot. But that’s not before a whole lot of friendly pep talk to Vince, who knows he is old, has been a failure, and has never played ball – even at college.

From the lot that turns out, coach Vermeil chooses only one – Vince Papele. He’s fast. Can hold the ball. And dribble too. But most of all – he’s got character. And that is what the coach wants to build his team around. But Vince needs to surmount all odds to beat other professional under training to make it to the team. And for this, his only inspiration is the note left behind by his wife saying – he’s nothing and always will be nothing.

Despite the usual mix of hardship, love in difficult times (Elizabeth Banks who is a Giants fan), friends who care, etc., it lacks the inspirational glue and high intensity that conveys an individual’s supreme victory over immense personal challenges. The slow pace of the movie does not help either. But you do have some true football towards the end. And a good background score.

Why watch – Mark Wahlberg and Elizabeth Banks, couple of scene where you see what Wahlberg is all about, slow pace that builds the character, absence of clichés.

Why skip – nothing invincible about it.

It you’re looking for inspiration, watch We Are Marshalls. LAS.