Invincible (2006)

Director:

Ericson Core

Writer (WGA):

Brad Gann (written by)

Release Date:

25 AUGUSZTUS 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Sport

Tagline:

Dreams are not lived on the sidelines

Plot:

Based on the story of Vince Papale, a 30-year-old bartender from South Philadelphia who overcame long odds to play for the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles in 1976.

Plot Keywords:

Philadelphia Eagles | Nfl | Bartender | American Football | Sports Team

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Mark Wahlberg	...	Vince Papale
Greg Kinnear	...	Dick Vermeil
Elizabeth Banks	...	Janet Cantrell
Kevin Conway	...	Frank Papale
Michael Rispoli	...	Max Cantrell
Kirk Acevedo	...	Tommy
Dov Davidoff	...	Johnny
Michael Kelly	...	Pete
Sal Darigo	...	Mick
Nicoye Banks	...	TJ Banks
Turron Kofi Alleyne	...	Ronnie Sampson
Cosmo DeMatteo	...	Dean German
Stink Fisher	...	Denny Franks
Michael Mulheren	...	AC Craney
Michael Nouri	...	Leonard Tose

Also Known As:

Who's Nuts Invincible (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for sports action and some mild language.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:G | USA:PG (certificate #42738) | Australia:PG | Singapore:PG | Argentina:13 | Germany:6 | South Korea:All | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Franklin Field - 235 S. 33rd Street, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

Walt Disney Pictures

Trivia:

Although listed as Wide Receiver, Papale played almost exclusively on Special Teams. The only reception in his career came in 1977 on a 15 yard pass from Roman Gabriel. This would be the final pass ever thrown by Gabriel who was a four-time Pro Bowler and the 1969 NFL Most Valuable Player.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: Veterans Stadium (which was imploded before this movie was made) is depicted correctly externally (including the exterior elevator to the luxury boxes and the ramps that were visible from the outside). However, the real Vet had individual seats, not bleacher style seats as depicted and the real Vet was a "octorad", a rounded octagon shape, and was convertible for both football and baseball, and so could not and did not have an oval track as depicted in the movie. The Vet also had lousy Astroturf with line markings for both the NFL and college football (double hash marks) as Temple played there at the time, while the movie apparently shows a grass field. Images at the end of the movie showing the real Vince Papale playing in the Vet show what it really looked like.

Quotes:

TV Anchor: This is even stupider than I'm used to.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Shooter (2007/I)

Soundtrack:

I Just Want to Celebrate

Cliché Scores A Touchdown-Invincible ***

Mark Wahlberg gives a splendid performance as a former teacher and bartender who gets the chance of a life to play professional football with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The trouble with this film is that is full of clichés. The team that has to have heart and soul. A brooding young man whose wife walks out on him and takes all the furniture as well. This same young man who is affected by teacher budget cuts with a hard-working class father whose wife has died following a lengthy illness.

Greg Kinnear gives ample support as the coach who has a positive feeling about Wahlberg. (Vincent P) Despite early team failures, he keeps him on the team.

We see what life is like in the training camps and how Wahlberg has heart to stay on the team and then take abuse from team mates. When Kinnear gives his rousing locker room speeches, I thought of Pat O'Brien asking his team to win this one for The Gipper.

Yet, with all these clichés, the film is nicely done and is a tribute to the idea that if you persevere, you can succeed.