josepainumkal
I have watched many sports films - the good ones and the bad ones. And, this movie definitely sits among the top ones in that genre. As a viewer, we could feel the struggles of the title character Vince Papale and his determination to stick tight on the difficult times. All the football sequences were shot to perfection and were good enough to experience the tension on the field. And above all, what makes you more delightful is that, this is a real story.
SimonJack
Based on a true story, "Invincible" is a first-rate sports drama. Touted as the story of a 30-year-old bartender who becomes a pro football players for the Philadelphia Eagles, the film actually is two stories in one. The major story is that of Vince Papale, a pro-football "walk-on" for the 1976 Philadelphia Eagles. Initially shunned by his "pro" teammates, Papale was welcomed after a spectacular special teams play. In the regular season home opener against the New York Giants, he tackled a punt receiver, causing a fumble, and then picked up the fumble and ran it 30 plus yards for a touchdown. The overlapping story is that of the hiring of Dick Vermeil as head coach of the Eagles. Both stories take place mostly over a single year – 1976. This is a Disney film, and as with any Hollywood production, some of the details are fictitious. In a nutshell, Papale played three seasons for the Eagles and retired after the 1978 season due to a shoulder injury. He played wide receiver and on specialty teams. It took Vermeil a couple of seasons to turn the Eagles around from a losing team, but in the third year they made the NFL playoffs. That also was Papale's last year playing ball. Two seasons later, Vermeil's Eagles made it to the Super Bowl, losing to Oakland, 10-27, on Jan. 5, 1981. After retiring a couple of times from coaching, Vermeil took over a losing program at St. Louis and took the Rams to Super Bowl XXXIV, and a win on Jan. 30, 2000. Here are some interesting facts and true details about how Papale and Vermeil got connected. Papale attended St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia. The school didn't have a football team, but he excelled in track and field. He won or placed in several events during track meets. His highest clearance as a pole-vaulter was 15 feet, 1 ¾ inches. In his senior year, he won events in the long jump and triple jump. Papale never played college football, but he played both years that the World Football League existed. He was a wide receiver for the Philadelphia Bells in 1974 and 1975. Dick Vermeil saw video of Papale's play for the Bells and invited him to try out for the Eagles. Of course, he had to prove himself and earn the spot on the team. And, that's what is most prominent and accurate about the movie. Here are a couple of interesting tidbits about Papale. He was nicknamed "Rocky" by his friends – a reference to the fictional boxer in the Sylvester Stalone movie who rose from the rough side of Philadelphia to become world heavyweight boxing champion. Papale is six feet, two inches, and Mark Wahlberg is only five feet, eight inches. But, Wahlberg, himself a tough guy with a tough upbringing and past, gives the part the guts and fire that Coach Vermeil says he was looking for and saw in Papale. When Papale made the Eagles roster in 1976, he was 30 years old. Outside of kickers, he was the oldest rookie NFL player in history to not have played college football. He played in 41 of the 44 regular season games of the Eagles in 1976-78. He had two fumble recoveries and one interception for 15 yards. His teammates elected him special teams captain. In 1978, the Eagles named him the team's "Man of the Year" for his support of many charities. Dick Vermeil was named "Coach of the Year" for his coaching at four levels – high school, junior college, college and pro ball. He took over three losing professional teams and turned them around. Beside the Eagles and St. Louis Rams, he revived the Kansas City Chiefs, building that team into a contender from 2001 to 2005. This is a very good inspiring and entertaining sports drama.
Prismark10
This is an interesting sports movie set in the past. Its nothing to do with racial integration! 1976 was a good year for Philadelphia not only does the fictional and over the hill rookie call Rocky Balboa get to fight for the heavyweight championship of the world but here in this supposedly true life tale, part time bartender Vince Papale at the age of 30 goes for tryouts and makes the cut for the Philly football team.Papale lost his job as a teacher, his wife leaves him and his dad helps him out for rent money. He plays football with his friends and the whole city is in an economic malaise with strikes and lay offs. This one shot given by the new coach could be his way out of the slums.I understand that the film really stretches the truth, however the way Wahlberg plays him even sexing up the story cannot ascend him from anything but a shy if dull everyman who is in a team that dislikes him especially the black players for some reason.The film is actually pedestrian, even though he has no interesting personality he gets a hot girlfriend, moments of crisis which is only alleviated when he spends time playing football with his boys in the hood and a climax when he can actually block players running with the ball.I suppose this could had been a better and more melodramatic television film. As a movie its OK but someone other than Wahlberg needed to play Papale.
dreamer_12997
in my opinion it was generally likable and very easy to follow. The actors did a great job portraying these people as if i actually knew them. some people would say its just another football movie, when its not. Its a amazing story of a man who wanted a dream and did everything in his power to achieve. sorry people no spoilers. but this movie i could watch over and over again. its not heart wrenching but rather heart warming and its a great movie to let the kids watch. it will teach them no dream is out of reach. but honestly its got a pretty guessable ending, and is really sometimes just out there. It may have some flaws but what movie doesn't.
