Eddie the Eagle

                  This was truly a heartwarming story, and I had the amazing opportunity to see it on Easter and, coincidentally, my birthday! It was an incredible true story that had me in tears at the end. Don't worry, they were happy tears.

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                    Michael "Eddie" Edwards is a young English boy at the age of six that dreams of becoming an olympian. This is clear right from the start because we see from an underwater perspective, a watch. Eddie is timing himself. 

                    When he comes out of the water, he sees that he held his breath for "nearly 58 seconds!"

Michael "Eddie the Eagle" Edwards

He packs his things and heads to the downstairs front door. Bag over his shoulder and jacket on his back, he's ready for the journey and tells his mom, "To the Olympics," when his mother questions where he's off to. 

                    "Well, you're going to need this," says his mother, " to put your medals in." She hands him a tin box. 

                     "Thanks mum." 

                      The year is 1973. Eddie, with a leg brace, walks out of the door towards the bus stop. As he's walking, his mother turns away from the door and tells her husband, "Terry, he's off to the Olympics again." 

                      Eddie arrives at the bus stop and looks at the bus schedule, seeing when the next ride will be. His father drives up behind him and says, "And where do you think you're going, Eddie?"

                      "I'm going to the Olympics."

                      His father convinces him to come home, and next we see Eddie at the doctor's office.

Bronson Peary played by Hugh Jackman

The doc bends his knee back and forth, showing good progress. Five years later, Eddie is at the doctor's and is able to have the brace removed altogether. 

                      He suggests that Eddie doesn't take up sports, and that instead he should take up reading. Eddie doesn't listen though, and starts his Olympic training. Since he was told to take up reading, the first book he buys is an Olympic book. He reads up on all the records, events, and title holders.

                      His father tries to dissuade him from Olympic training and brings him to work to learn how to plaster. When Eddie and his dad exit the car, Eddie sees skiers racing down the hills. His dad had told him, "Eddie! You are NOT an athlete!" Later, he said, "You won't make it to the Olympics." 

                     Eddie, eyeing the skiers, says, "Dad! You're a genius! I'm not going to the Olympics. I'm going to the Winter Olympics." 

                     So begins his training and the pursuing of his dream to be an Olympic Skier. However, he is told that he will never be Olympic material by a rather annoying and stubborn Englishman. Eddie is only temporarily down in the mud until he finds out about Ski Jumping, and begins pursuing that.

                     Along the way, he has many setbacks, and he can't quite advance in his training until Bronson Peary (Hugh Jackman) shows up and eventually agrees to train him. They train for a year with many difficulties, but Eddie manages to make it to the 1988 Winter Olympics, and capture the hearts of all the viewers. 

                     In his celebration of setting an English record in the 70 meter Ski Jump, Eddie mocks an eagle's flying, earning him the name of the title of the film, "Eddie the Eagle."

Ratings:

Family Friendliness: 8.5/10 Hills- The film is very funny and light-hearted, but also heartwarming. There are some inappropriate references, and partial nudity, but all-in-all, a good family film.You journey with Eddie through his trials, setbacks, and victories that lead up to his Olympic qualification, participation, and rise to fame because of his never-ending and undying spirit. He never gave up, and he got to where he wanted to go. This is a film about true dedication.

Story-line: 10/10 Eagles- Now, I don't know the full true story of Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards, but I'm sure that the movie did a fantastic job of telling his story. And let's be honest, any true story is a good story worth sharing and seeing.

Rewatch Probability: Very High (9/10 Olympians)- You'll either be on the verge of tears or in tears by the end of the movie and will want to walk right back in for the next showing. Eddie the Eagle is a film that is definitely worth the price of admission and worth view on the big screen. So get to it!

Overall: 9/10 Ski Jumps

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Bibliography: "Eddie the Eagle Trailer" <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlrTEUFOzAo>

"Eddie the Eagle Eddie" <http://images-cdn.moviepilot.com/images/c_fill,h_675,w_1200/t_mp_quality/qdamb5u0qkor4tng1yri/touching-the-sky-the-true-story-of-eddie-the-eagle-831929.jpg> 

"Eddie the Eagle Bronson Peary" <http://www.filmandtvnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Screen-Shot-2016-01-27-at-20.28.08.png>