Mark Wahlberg has won the hearts of many movie lovers from around the world with movies like Ted, Uncharted, Daddy’s Home, Transformers: Age of Extinction, etc. He has been a phenomenal artist since his debut in 1989 and Invincible is a clear proof of the claim. Even Wahlberg himself considers his role in Invincible as an honor.
Mark Wahlberg in The Fighter
The actor opened up about his role as Vince Papale in one of the most famous movies of 2006. American actor Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg, also known by his former stage name Marky Mark, talks about his experience from the set of one of his most challenging movies, Invincible.
Mark Wahlberg is Proud of Being Cast in Invincible
Mark Wahlberg in a still from Invincible
It’s always a difficult task for any actor to keep pace with the passing years and perform uniformly. Playing active roles after turning 35 isn...
Mark Wahlberg in The Fighter
The actor opened up about his role as Vince Papale in one of the most famous movies of 2006. American actor Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg, also known by his former stage name Marky Mark, talks about his experience from the set of one of his most challenging movies, Invincible.
Mark Wahlberg is Proud of Being Cast in Invincible
Mark Wahlberg in a still from Invincible
It’s always a difficult task for any actor to keep pace with the passing years and perform uniformly. Playing active roles after turning 35 isn...
- 4/1/2024
- by Ankita
- FandomWire
Things got a little hairy between Mark Wahlberg and Martin Scorsese during production on “The Departed.”
Wahlberg, whose lone (acting) Oscar nomination came for his role as Sergeant Dignam in the Boston Police Department, recalled having some “issues” with Scorsese over his hair length on the set of the 2006 film. (“The Departed” earned Scorsese his sole Academy Award for Best Director.)
The backstory: Wahlberg was supposed to directly follow up 2005’s “Four Brothers” with “Invincible.” In “Invincible,” he played bartender Vince Papale who, against all odds, made the Philadelphia Eagles team in 1976; the real-life role called for long hair. “The Departed,” which he ended up shooting during a break in “Invincible” production, did not.
Wahlberg says his “weird hair” in “The Departed” didn’t go over well with Marty.
“I was trying to grow my hair out, which is why I had that weird hair. You know, everybody’s like,...
Wahlberg, whose lone (acting) Oscar nomination came for his role as Sergeant Dignam in the Boston Police Department, recalled having some “issues” with Scorsese over his hair length on the set of the 2006 film. (“The Departed” earned Scorsese his sole Academy Award for Best Director.)
The backstory: Wahlberg was supposed to directly follow up 2005’s “Four Brothers” with “Invincible.” In “Invincible,” he played bartender Vince Papale who, against all odds, made the Philadelphia Eagles team in 1976; the real-life role called for long hair. “The Departed,” which he ended up shooting during a break in “Invincible” production, did not.
Wahlberg says his “weird hair” in “The Departed” didn’t go over well with Marty.
“I was trying to grow my hair out, which is why I had that weird hair. You know, everybody’s like,...
- 3/25/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
I’m the one who doesn’t complain about the job of a lifetime; Mark Wahlberg must be the other guy. Despite landing an Oscar nomination and fulfilling so many actors’ goal of working with Martin Scorsese, Wahlberg was “a little pissed” about a few things while making The Departed, chiefly his hair.
Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast earlier this month, Mark Wahlberg said the main issue that arose while filming The Departed actually had to do with that same year’s Invincible, in which he played Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Vince Papale. “I was going into Invincible after. I was trying to grow my hair out, which is why I had that weird hair…But I completely understand where Marty was coming from. He had to deal with Jack [Nicholson], he had to deal with Matt [Damon] and Leo [DiCaprio] and Alec [Baldwin] and everything, the studio and everybody else who was in the cast.
Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast earlier this month, Mark Wahlberg said the main issue that arose while filming The Departed actually had to do with that same year’s Invincible, in which he played Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Vince Papale. “I was going into Invincible after. I was trying to grow my hair out, which is why I had that weird hair…But I completely understand where Marty was coming from. He had to deal with Jack [Nicholson], he had to deal with Matt [Damon] and Leo [DiCaprio] and Alec [Baldwin] and everything, the studio and everybody else who was in the cast.
- 3/25/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Years after he appeared in Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-winning thriller, The Departed, Mark Wahlberg talks about his “weird hair” and how it came about.
There were plenty of memorable things about The Departed, Martin Scorsese’s 2006 crime thriller, but Mark Wahlberg’s hair wasn’t necessarily one of them – was it? In recent days, Wahlberg has shared his memories of working on the movie, and airs one or two grievances, including the hairdo his character – sweary cop Sean Dignam – was lumbered with.
Talking to Josh Horowitz on his reliably newsworthy Happy Sad Confused podcast (via Deadline), Wahlberg revealed that he was originally supposed to play another character in the film, and also alleged that he was never paid for his work.
“Originally, I was supposed to play another part,” the actor said. “Originally, I was supposed to get paid.”
Wahlberg then explained that, immediately after he finished work on The Departed,...
There were plenty of memorable things about The Departed, Martin Scorsese’s 2006 crime thriller, but Mark Wahlberg’s hair wasn’t necessarily one of them – was it? In recent days, Wahlberg has shared his memories of working on the movie, and airs one or two grievances, including the hairdo his character – sweary cop Sean Dignam – was lumbered with.
Talking to Josh Horowitz on his reliably newsworthy Happy Sad Confused podcast (via Deadline), Wahlberg revealed that he was originally supposed to play another character in the film, and also alleged that he was never paid for his work.
“Originally, I was supposed to play another part,” the actor said. “Originally, I was supposed to get paid.”
Wahlberg then explained that, immediately after he finished work on The Departed,...
- 3/25/2024
- by Ryan Lambie
- Film Stories
Exclusive: Mark Wahlberg is the latest Hollywood notable to be added to the guest list of ESPN’s Manningcast, the alternate Monday Night Football telecast hosted by Peyton and Eli Manning.
The actor and producer will appear tonight, with former NFL quarterback Michael Vick and Iowa basketball standout Caitlin Clark also on the docket. The game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs is a rematch of last February’s Super Bowl.
Although Wahlberg’s loyalty to the New England Patriots remains intact, one of his acting credits makes him a logical person to weigh in on tonight’s contest. In the 2006 film Invincible, Wahlberg portrayed Vincent Papale, a real-life figure from Eagles lore. Papale became a local sports legend after managing the unlikely feat of winning a chance to play for the Eagles after impressing coaches at an open tryout in 1976.
This is the third season of Omaha Productions’ Manningcast.
The actor and producer will appear tonight, with former NFL quarterback Michael Vick and Iowa basketball standout Caitlin Clark also on the docket. The game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs is a rematch of last February’s Super Bowl.
Although Wahlberg’s loyalty to the New England Patriots remains intact, one of his acting credits makes him a logical person to weigh in on tonight’s contest. In the 2006 film Invincible, Wahlberg portrayed Vincent Papale, a real-life figure from Eagles lore. Papale became a local sports legend after managing the unlikely feat of winning a chance to play for the Eagles after impressing coaches at an open tryout in 1976.
This is the third season of Omaha Productions’ Manningcast.
- 11/20/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
With an acting career stretching back to 1994, Mark Wahlberg has starred in everything from independent character studies to blockbuster action fare. Often bringing a focused intensity to his performances, Wahlberg parlays his talents into taking on everything from Transformers to super-intelligent apes to effectively playing against type as an earnest comedic foil. Possessing a subtly wide range, Wahlberg has gone on to work with some of the biggest filmmakers in Hollywood, sometimes on multiple projects and often with critical acclaim and box office success.
Wahlberg is at an inevitable stage in his career that defies typecasting and gives him the freedom to choose from a robust variety of projects. And despite his movie star good looks, Wahlberg often maintains an everyman quality that makes him a relatable actor, even as his characters face extraordinary circumstances. Here are the 14 best Mark Wahlberg movies ranked, elevated by his sheer commitment and the...
Wahlberg is at an inevitable stage in his career that defies typecasting and gives him the freedom to choose from a robust variety of projects. And despite his movie star good looks, Wahlberg often maintains an everyman quality that makes him a relatable actor, even as his characters face extraordinary circumstances. Here are the 14 best Mark Wahlberg movies ranked, elevated by his sheer commitment and the...
- 5/20/2023
- by Samuel Stone
- Slash Film
The transition into a new year often leads people to make big resolutions about how they want to improve their lives in the next 12 months, especially regarding personal fitness. Gyms and fitness centers across the globe see an influx of new visitors who will tell themselves this will be the time that they commit to a regular exercise regimen before falling back into their old habits a couple of weeks later.
If you’re looking for extra motivation to get in better shape, plenty of movies and documentaries encourage the pursuit of fitness. Here are seven films that inspire another stint on the treadmill. The order is determined by their release dates.
‘Cool Runnings’
If you come from a certain background or live a specific lifestyle, it can be easy to tell yourself that some activities aren’t for you, including exercise. So, what better way to get over any...
If you’re looking for extra motivation to get in better shape, plenty of movies and documentaries encourage the pursuit of fitness. Here are seven films that inspire another stint on the treadmill. The order is determined by their release dates.
‘Cool Runnings’
If you come from a certain background or live a specific lifestyle, it can be easy to tell yourself that some activities aren’t for you, including exercise. So, what better way to get over any...
- 1/28/2023
- by Produced by Digital Editors
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Joseph Baxter Dec 4, 2019
Disney+ movie Togo tells the true story of a musher and his hero dog on an Alaskan tundra trek to deliver serum for an outbreak.
Togo, a fact-based movie about a legendary dog sled run to deliver an outbreak-combatting serum, may have the makings of an inspirationally adventurous family-driven Disney theatrical offering, but the film is instead headed to a device near you as a (non-Mandalorian) offering on streaming platform Disney+.
Four-time Oscar nominee Willem Dafoe headlines Togo as Norwegian sled rider Leonhard Seppala, sharing top billing with the film’s eponymous character, a 12-year-old hero dog who, despite his advanced age, leads Seppala’s team on a perilous 1925 trek across 674 miles of the Alaskan tundra from Seward to deliver life-saving serum to those suffering from a diphtheria outbreak in Nome.
Ericson Core directed Togo, bringing experience from 2015’s Point Break remake and 2006 Mark Walhberg-headlined Vince Papale biopic Invincible.
Disney+ movie Togo tells the true story of a musher and his hero dog on an Alaskan tundra trek to deliver serum for an outbreak.
Togo, a fact-based movie about a legendary dog sled run to deliver an outbreak-combatting serum, may have the makings of an inspirationally adventurous family-driven Disney theatrical offering, but the film is instead headed to a device near you as a (non-Mandalorian) offering on streaming platform Disney+.
Four-time Oscar nominee Willem Dafoe headlines Togo as Norwegian sled rider Leonhard Seppala, sharing top billing with the film’s eponymous character, a 12-year-old hero dog who, despite his advanced age, leads Seppala’s team on a perilous 1925 trek across 674 miles of the Alaskan tundra from Seward to deliver life-saving serum to those suffering from a diphtheria outbreak in Nome.
Ericson Core directed Togo, bringing experience from 2015’s Point Break remake and 2006 Mark Walhberg-headlined Vince Papale biopic Invincible.
- 12/4/2019
- Den of Geek
Standing atop the Philadelphia Art Museum’s iconic steps, Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter proclaimed Wednesday, November 25 “Creed” Day in honor of the upcoming film – opening that same day – which explores the next chapter in the “Rocky” saga.
Creed stars Sylvester Stallone, Michael B. Jordan and Tessa Thompson joined Mayor Nutter on Friday to receive the official proclamation. The film’s writer/director, Ryan Coogler, and producer Irwin Winkler were also on hand.
The film, which brings Rocky Balboa face-to-face with the son of his one-time rival and best friend, Apollo Creed, was shot in and around the City of Brotherly Love. The museum steps, and the statue of Rocky that stands at the bottom of them, can, in fact, be seen in Creed.
Mayor Nutter also gifted the team from Creed with individually inscribed miniature Liberty Bells to mark the occasion; they, in turn, presented the mayor with a framed rendering of the mural,...
Creed stars Sylvester Stallone, Michael B. Jordan and Tessa Thompson joined Mayor Nutter on Friday to receive the official proclamation. The film’s writer/director, Ryan Coogler, and producer Irwin Winkler were also on hand.
The film, which brings Rocky Balboa face-to-face with the son of his one-time rival and best friend, Apollo Creed, was shot in and around the City of Brotherly Love. The museum steps, and the statue of Rocky that stands at the bottom of them, can, in fact, be seen in Creed.
Mayor Nutter also gifted the team from Creed with individually inscribed miniature Liberty Bells to mark the occasion; they, in turn, presented the mayor with a framed rendering of the mural,...
- 11/8/2015
- by Melissa Thompson
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
In his long career as a film producer, Gordon Gray is best known for making inspirational fact-based sports movies about subjects who overcame long odds, from baseball pitcher Jim Morris in The Rookie to football player Vince Papale in Invincible, to the gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic hockey team in Miracle. After Gray and his wife Kristen learned in March that both their 4-year-old daughter Charlotte and 20-month-old daughter Gwenyth have the incredibly rare and…...
- 6/9/2015
- Deadline
Truth-based sports drama starring Mark Wahberg as Vince Papale, a 30-year-old bartender who became an NFL star with the Philadelphia Eagles. With nothing more to lose after losing his wife and teaching job, Eagles fan Vince pitches up for an open tryout with his heroes - and is amazed when he's given a shot. Elizabeth Banks plays the new lady in Vince's life while Greg Kinnear is the coach who helps Vince rise from much-derided underdog to gridiron champ.
- 5/1/2014
- Sky Movies
Another year, another Superbowl. To celebrate the biggest sporting event of year for our friends across the pond, we've went through some of the best American Football movie to find some truly epic touchdowns. The Longest Yard (1974) What will come readily apparent going through this list is any touchdown worth its salt needs a healthy injection of slow motion, and is used to great effect here in this last minute touchdown where the cons that make up Mean Machine finally get one over the guards that made their life hell. Varsity Blues (1999) Billy Bob (Rob Lester) was really put through the emotional wringer in Varsity Blues, which is why you will be fist punching the air with joy when the offensive guard uses his massive bulk to surprise everyone and pull off this win. Invincible (2006) After a dismal performance at his first game for the Philadelphia Eagles, Vince Papale (Mark Wahlberg) turns his teams fortunes.
- 1/29/2014
- by noreply@blogger.com (Tom White)
- www.themoviebit.com
With the release of 42 starring Harrison Ford and Chadwick Boseman as Jackie Robinson, we look back on the best films that told the true stories of athletes that challenged the system. Many greats have overcame adversity to become the legends they are today. Check out who made the list and let us know who we forgot.
10. Invincible (2006)
Mark Wahlberg’s first entry on this list is as Vince Papale, a longtime Eagles fan who makes a go at open tryouts. The 30-year-old player is tested as he attempts to gain the acceptance of the team and the city’s devout fans.
9. Soul Surfer (2011)
The sole female sports biopic on the list is about surfer Bethany Hamilton who lost her arm in a shark attack. Despite her loss, she refuses to give up surfing. The film starring AnnaSophia Robb was the more, serious and at times cheesier version of Blue Crush.
10. Invincible (2006)
Mark Wahlberg’s first entry on this list is as Vince Papale, a longtime Eagles fan who makes a go at open tryouts. The 30-year-old player is tested as he attempts to gain the acceptance of the team and the city’s devout fans.
9. Soul Surfer (2011)
The sole female sports biopic on the list is about surfer Bethany Hamilton who lost her arm in a shark attack. Despite her loss, she refuses to give up surfing. The film starring AnnaSophia Robb was the more, serious and at times cheesier version of Blue Crush.
- 4/13/2013
- by Stacy Lambe
- TheFabLife - Movies
Mid-August means it's high time for Fantasy Football in America, and you know what that means: It's almost Actual Football time!
As gridiron groupies everywhere spend (company?) hours studying the stats, fretting over keepers and ranking players by position, we decided to draft our own dream team of football studs from flicks.
Sure, they're not all technically pros (try telling us Rudy wouldn't make an equally dynamic benchwarmer on the Buffalo Bills), but they're all well worth roster slots on our squad.
Qb: Willie Beamen ('Any Given Sunday')
Qb: Bobby Boucher ('The Waterboy')
Qb: Paul Crewe ('The Longest Yard')
Qb: Jonathan Moxon ('Varsity Blues')
Qb: Shane Falco ('The Replacements')
Wr: Vince Papale ('Invincible')
Wr: Rod Tidwell ('Jerry Maguire')
De: Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger ('Rudy')
De: Steve Lattimer ('The Program')
Dl: Michael Oher ('The Blind Side')
Captain/Utility: Jimmy "Dodge...
As gridiron groupies everywhere spend (company?) hours studying the stats, fretting over keepers and ranking players by position, we decided to draft our own dream team of football studs from flicks.
Sure, they're not all technically pros (try telling us Rudy wouldn't make an equally dynamic benchwarmer on the Buffalo Bills), but they're all well worth roster slots on our squad.
Qb: Willie Beamen ('Any Given Sunday')
Qb: Bobby Boucher ('The Waterboy')
Qb: Paul Crewe ('The Longest Yard')
Qb: Jonathan Moxon ('Varsity Blues')
Qb: Shane Falco ('The Replacements')
Wr: Vince Papale ('Invincible')
Wr: Rod Tidwell ('Jerry Maguire')
De: Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger ('Rudy')
De: Steve Lattimer ('The Program')
Dl: Michael Oher ('The Blind Side')
Captain/Utility: Jimmy "Dodge...
- 8/15/2011
- by Dustin Glick
- NextMovie
Break out the chips, the dips and hot wings. Amass large quantities of beer. Gather your friends around a big-screen TV. It's football season! Counting down, here are the 12 best football movies.
Top 12 Football Movies12. 'All the Right Moves' (1983)
This football favorite sees a hotshot quarterback (Tom Cruise), desperate for a scholarship, clash with his headstrong coach (Craig T. Nelson)in a dying Pennsylvania steel town.
11. 'Jerry Maguire' (1996)
Movies about sports agents count,...
Top 12 Football Movies12. 'All the Right Moves' (1983)
This football favorite sees a hotshot quarterback (Tom Cruise), desperate for a scholarship, clash with his headstrong coach (Craig T. Nelson)in a dying Pennsylvania steel town.
11. 'Jerry Maguire' (1996)
Movies about sports agents count,...
- 9/19/2010
- Extra
Follow your dreams, but not if they get you injured says Joe Queenan, as he attempts to extract the essential pearl of wisdom from the grit of sports films such as Caddyshack, Invictus and The Blind Side
I have just found out that a professor at a Florida university has been using the 1980 film Caddyshack in a course as "a forum for discussing everything from civility and class distinctions to sports gambling and animal rights". Theodore Curtis teaches sports management at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida. Sports management is a discipline that prepares students for careers as, among other things, golf pros. This is precisely the managerial position that comes under siege in Caddyshack, a film in which drunks, gamblers, sluts, drug addicts and pesky subterranean critters wreak havoc at a posh country club. In one of the most memorable scenes, Bill Murray, playing a vigilante groundskeeper, uses high-powered...
I have just found out that a professor at a Florida university has been using the 1980 film Caddyshack in a course as "a forum for discussing everything from civility and class distinctions to sports gambling and animal rights". Theodore Curtis teaches sports management at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida. Sports management is a discipline that prepares students for careers as, among other things, golf pros. This is precisely the managerial position that comes under siege in Caddyshack, a film in which drunks, gamblers, sluts, drug addicts and pesky subterranean critters wreak havoc at a posh country club. In one of the most memorable scenes, Bill Murray, playing a vigilante groundskeeper, uses high-powered...
- 2/11/2010
- by Joe Queenan
- The Guardian - Film News
Sandra Bullock attending "The Blind Side" New York premiere at The Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City. Photo copyright by Janet Mayer / PR Photos. Faith Hill attending "The Blind Side" New York premiere at The Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City. Photo copyright by Janet Mayer / PR Photos. Sandra Bullock attending "The Blind Side" New York premiere at The Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City. Photo copyright by Janet Mayer / PR Photos. Vince Papale attending "The Blind Side" New York premiere at The Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City. Photo copyright by Janet Mayer / PR Photos. 11/17/2009 - Faith Hill and Tim McGraw - "The Blind Side" New York Premiere - Arrivals...
- 11/19/2009
- by James Wray
- Monsters and Critics
FX has bought exclusive cable rights to the feature film Invincible from Buena Vista Television. An FX spokesman confirmed the deal but declined comment on the terms of the agreement. Because of the Yom Kippur holiday, no one was available to confirm or deny at BVT. Sources said the four-year deal will see FX pay 10%-12% of domestic boxoffice for the Buena Vista Pictures title, which has earned $56.3 million in North American theaters since its Aug. 25 release through this past weekend. The PG-rated Invincible, based on a true story, stars Mark Wahlberg as regular guy-turned-football pro Vince Papale and Greg Kinnear as former Philadelphia Eagles coach Dick Vermeil.
- 10/2/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
FX has bought exclusive cable rights to the feature film Invincible from Buena Vista Television. An FX spokesman confirmed the deal but declined comment on the terms of the agreement. Because of the Yom Kippur holiday, no one was available to confirm or deny at BVT. Sources said the four-year deal will see FX pay 10%-12% of domestic boxoffice for the Buena Vista Pictures title, which has earned $56.3 million in North American theaters since its Aug. 25 release through this past weekend. The PG-rated Invincible, based on a true story, stars Mark Wahlberg as regular guy-turned-football pro Vince Papale and Greg Kinnear as former Philadelphia Eagles coach Dick Vermeil.
- 10/2/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Buena Vista Pictures' Invincible walked away handily with the top spot at this past weekend's North American boxoffice, while three other new releases fought it out for their piece of the pie. Meanwhile, Fox Searchlight's indie hit Little Miss Sunshine rose to the third spot in the boxoffice derby, the highest place yet for the R-rated road-trip comedy that expanded to 1,430 theaters in its fifth week in release. Invincible, the 1970s sports drama based on the real-life struggles of Philadelphia Eagle Vince Papale, earned $17 million for the three-day frame. Starring Mark Wahlberg as the regular-guy-turned-sports hero, the film marked another success story for Buena Vista -- the distribution arm of Walt Disney Pictures that can now claim three No. 1 hits for the summer. Directed by first-timer Ericson Core, Invincible was produced by veteran producers Mark Ciardi and Gordon Gray, the guys behind Buena Vista's The Rookie and Miracle.
- 8/28/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Buena Vista Pictures' Invincible walked away handily with the top spot at this past weekend's North American boxoffice, while three other new releases fought it out for their piece of the pie. Meanwhile, Fox Searchlight's indie hit Little Miss Sunshine rose to the third spot in the boxoffice derby, the highest place yet for the R-rated road-trip comedy that expanded to 1,430 theaters in its fifth week in release. Invincible, the 1970s sports drama based on the real-life struggles of Philadelphia Eagle Vince Papale, earned $17 million for the three-day frame. Starring Mark Wahlberg as the regular-guy-turned-sports hero, the film marked another success story for Buena Vista -- the distribution arm of Walt Disney Pictures that can now claim three No. 1 hits for the summer. Directed by first-timer Ericson Core, Invincible was produced by veteran producers Mark Ciardi and Gordon Gray, the guys behind Buena Vista's The Rookie and Miracle.
- 8/28/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In this age, sports, not religion, is the arena for miracles. Think of Pete Gray, the one-armed outfielder for the 1945 St. Louis Browns. Or Dick Nen, whose only major-league hit in 1963 was a monster home run that helped propel the Los Angeles Dodgers into the World Series.
Producers Mark Ciardi, an ex-big leaguer, and Gordon Gray have turned such sports miracles into a motion picture cottage industry: First came "The Rookie", about a high school baseball coach who tried out for the expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays and wound up in the big leagues three months later, and then "Miracle", about the coach who inspired the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team's improbable victory. Now the two team with Ken Mok for "Invincible", the reasonably true story of Vince Papale, a South Philly bartender who never played college football yet tried out for his hometown Philadelphia Eagles and wound up playing wide receiver and special teams from 1976-78.
"Invincible" is a neatly packaged Walt Disney Co. picture with bone-crunching football action; a nice sense of the blue-collar, male-dominated milieu that nourishes football fanaticism; and a few too many tugs at the heartstrings. Opening on the cusp of the football season, the film will attract a male following of all age groups, so it should do moderate theatrical and video business in North America.
Mark Wahlberg plays Vince, which is a bit of a stretch physically because if you were choosing sides for tag football, he probably would not be your first choice. However, Wahlberg does get the heart-and-guts "Rocky" side of the equation.
Things are going so badly for Vince as the movie opens that in one scene, when he slouches home from the bar, the soundtrack breaks into that classic melancholy song, "One for My Baby". He has lost a job as a substitute teacher, his wife had fled with every possession, and he's broke. So why not try out for the Eagles, coming off a hideous season, and its new coach, just hired out of UCLA, Dick Vermeil (Greg Kinnear)?
Vince turns out to be a legitimate rookie, a guy whose spirit and determination make him nearly as good as the overpaid and underperforming pros. They hate him, of course, but his edge is that he still knows what it means to be hungry. Also brightening his life is a terrific-looking fellow bartender, Janet (Elizabeth Banks), whose only "character flaw" is that she is a New York Giants fan.
Writer Brad Gann and cinematographer-turned-director Ericson Core root the movie firmly in a South Philly neighborhood where jobs are scarce and strikes are under way. Initially Vince's dad Frank (Kevin Conway) isn't sure his boy should try out. Nevertheless, Frank's devotion to the Eagles is what got him through his wife's illness and early death.
The guys Vince plays sandlot football with have mixed reactions to their pal's success. Bar owner Max (Michael Rispoli), Tommy Kirk Acevedo) and Pete Michael Kelly) live vicariously through his exploits. But Johnny (Dov Davidoff) is jealous and worries about losing his pal to the bright lights, so he sulks in a corner of the bar.
The most accomplished thing about this movie is that even if Vince had been cut before the season began, there will still be a decent story here because the characters and their environment are so strongly established. Wahlberg plays the sensitive side to Vince without compromising any machismo. Banks seems to be having genuine fun as a football-addicted female hanging out in an all-male world.
The acting is solid throughout, with Michael Nouri as the club owner and, frankly, Kinnear the only weak spots. OK, so the college coach is an NFL rookie too, but Kinnear gives Vermeil too much vulnerability.
Core, acting as his own cinematographer, shoots the hard-nosed football action close to the trenches to catch all the painful hits. Costumes, sets and decor strongly evoke the '70s along with music coming from radios, while Mark Isham's score gets excited at all the right moments.
INVINCIBLE
Buena Vista Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures presents a Mayhem Pictures production
Credits:
Director/director of photography: Ericson Core
Screenwriter: Brad Gann
Based on the life story of: Vincent Papale
Producers: Gordon Gray, Mark Ciardi, Ken Mok
Executive producers: Victor H. Constantino, Nicole Reed, Ezra Swerdlow
Production designer: Sarah Knowles
Music: Mark Isham
Costumes: Susan Lyall
Editor: Jerry Greenberg
Cast:
Vince Papale: Mark Wahlberg
Dick Vermeil: Greg Kinnear
Janet: Elizabeth Banks
Frank Papale: Kevin Conway
Max: Michael Rispoli
Tommy: Kirk Acevedo
Johnny: Dov Davidoff
Pete: Michael Kelly
MPAA rating PG
Running time -- 104 minutes...
Producers Mark Ciardi, an ex-big leaguer, and Gordon Gray have turned such sports miracles into a motion picture cottage industry: First came "The Rookie", about a high school baseball coach who tried out for the expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays and wound up in the big leagues three months later, and then "Miracle", about the coach who inspired the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team's improbable victory. Now the two team with Ken Mok for "Invincible", the reasonably true story of Vince Papale, a South Philly bartender who never played college football yet tried out for his hometown Philadelphia Eagles and wound up playing wide receiver and special teams from 1976-78.
"Invincible" is a neatly packaged Walt Disney Co. picture with bone-crunching football action; a nice sense of the blue-collar, male-dominated milieu that nourishes football fanaticism; and a few too many tugs at the heartstrings. Opening on the cusp of the football season, the film will attract a male following of all age groups, so it should do moderate theatrical and video business in North America.
Mark Wahlberg plays Vince, which is a bit of a stretch physically because if you were choosing sides for tag football, he probably would not be your first choice. However, Wahlberg does get the heart-and-guts "Rocky" side of the equation.
Things are going so badly for Vince as the movie opens that in one scene, when he slouches home from the bar, the soundtrack breaks into that classic melancholy song, "One for My Baby". He has lost a job as a substitute teacher, his wife had fled with every possession, and he's broke. So why not try out for the Eagles, coming off a hideous season, and its new coach, just hired out of UCLA, Dick Vermeil (Greg Kinnear)?
Vince turns out to be a legitimate rookie, a guy whose spirit and determination make him nearly as good as the overpaid and underperforming pros. They hate him, of course, but his edge is that he still knows what it means to be hungry. Also brightening his life is a terrific-looking fellow bartender, Janet (Elizabeth Banks), whose only "character flaw" is that she is a New York Giants fan.
Writer Brad Gann and cinematographer-turned-director Ericson Core root the movie firmly in a South Philly neighborhood where jobs are scarce and strikes are under way. Initially Vince's dad Frank (Kevin Conway) isn't sure his boy should try out. Nevertheless, Frank's devotion to the Eagles is what got him through his wife's illness and early death.
The guys Vince plays sandlot football with have mixed reactions to their pal's success. Bar owner Max (Michael Rispoli), Tommy Kirk Acevedo) and Pete Michael Kelly) live vicariously through his exploits. But Johnny (Dov Davidoff) is jealous and worries about losing his pal to the bright lights, so he sulks in a corner of the bar.
The most accomplished thing about this movie is that even if Vince had been cut before the season began, there will still be a decent story here because the characters and their environment are so strongly established. Wahlberg plays the sensitive side to Vince without compromising any machismo. Banks seems to be having genuine fun as a football-addicted female hanging out in an all-male world.
The acting is solid throughout, with Michael Nouri as the club owner and, frankly, Kinnear the only weak spots. OK, so the college coach is an NFL rookie too, but Kinnear gives Vermeil too much vulnerability.
Core, acting as his own cinematographer, shoots the hard-nosed football action close to the trenches to catch all the painful hits. Costumes, sets and decor strongly evoke the '70s along with music coming from radios, while Mark Isham's score gets excited at all the right moments.
INVINCIBLE
Buena Vista Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures presents a Mayhem Pictures production
Credits:
Director/director of photography: Ericson Core
Screenwriter: Brad Gann
Based on the life story of: Vincent Papale
Producers: Gordon Gray, Mark Ciardi, Ken Mok
Executive producers: Victor H. Constantino, Nicole Reed, Ezra Swerdlow
Production designer: Sarah Knowles
Music: Mark Isham
Costumes: Susan Lyall
Editor: Jerry Greenberg
Cast:
Vince Papale: Mark Wahlberg
Dick Vermeil: Greg Kinnear
Janet: Elizabeth Banks
Frank Papale: Kevin Conway
Max: Michael Rispoli
Tommy: Kirk Acevedo
Johnny: Dov Davidoff
Pete: Michael Kelly
MPAA rating PG
Running time -- 104 minutes...
- 8/23/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Movie star Mark Wahlberg has signed on to play revered sports fan Vince Papale, who famously won the chance to play briefly for American football team the Philadelphia Eagles. The Planet Of The Apes star admits he was drawn to the real-life story, Invincible, because he's an avid sports fan himself and he understood what it must be like to join the heroes on the football field. Papale, a teacher and part-time bartender, became an unlikely sporting hero in the mid-1970s when he earned a walk-on spot on his NFL hometown team. He became the oldest NFL rookie to play without any prior college football experience. He ended up playing on the team for three seasons. Wahlberg tells MTV News, "He's what every person who ever aspired to play in the NFL or professional sports wants to be. The guy became the heart and soul of the team and uplifted the whole city. He's the real Rocky Balboa of Philadelphia, and he's an amazing guy, an amazing father and an amazing son. He has all the heart in the world." Greg Kinnear will play legendary Eagles coach Dick Vermeil in the Disney family film.
- 12/30/2005
- WENN
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