REVIEW: “Eddie the Eagle” tells true tale of heart
By Willa Moffatt,
BlueDevilHUB.com Editor–
“Eddie the Eagle” opens with a young Eddie Edwards timing how long he can hold his breath underwater. He releases some bubbles, sits up, stops the watch and whispers “Champion.” The rest of the movie is one man’s journey to redefine what it means to be a champion.
Like its main subject, the film “Eddie the Eagle” is earnest, optimistic and unwavering. Based on a true story, “Eddie” recounts how British skier Eddie Edwards (played by Taron Egerton of “Kingsman: Secret Service”) became the first competitor to represent Great Britain in ski jumping at the 1988 Winter Olympics.
What makes Eddie unlike most Olympic athletes is that he is, to put it plainly, not very good. Since childhood, it has been his dream to be an Olympian. Despite obstacles like his father’s objection and his mediocre abilities, he pushed onward. And that is what makes this movie, and Eddie, so lovable.
Eddie discovers that because his country lacks a ski jumping team, if he lands one jump, he can fulfill his dream of going to the Olympic Games. With the help of retired American ski-jumping-phenom-turned-drunk-snow-groomer Bronson Peary (Hugh Jackman) as his coach, Eddie practices and practices to become the best jumper he can be.
Unlike most sports hero movies (think “Rocky” and the like), Eddie’s training montage doesn’t end in a new-found mastery of his event. Instead, the result exemplifies his dedication, even though has no hope of winning.
Despite the other athletes’ contempt for him, Eddie is loved by the crowds and the audience because he never gives up. His goal is never to be the best; it is to participate. That is what makes him relatable, and questions our perception of what makes a champion.
The founder of the modern Olympic Games, Pierre de Coubertin, is quoted in the movie: “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.” Those words are what drive this film.
