Ben Oliver

Now
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film

Eddie The Eagle

I’ve been kicked off every team before I even got a chance to prove myself.
07 April 2016

A biopic about the plucky but inept British ski-jumper.

It’s hard to avoid comparisons to Cool Runnings here and the similarities between the two are oddly specific - they are both about rank outsiders competing in the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics against all odds.

Eddie the Eagle doesn’t have any tricks up its sleeve; it’s a light hearted, well made tale that follows a predictable story line. Like many films of its ilk it’s all about the way you tell it, and the cheesy 80s music laid over the even cheesier special effects are not without their charm.

Taron Egerton gurns his way to a decent performance as the titular character, Hugh Jackman proves to be a decent sidekick and Christopher Walken is always welcome no matter how small the role.

Unfortunately I don’t think Eddie The Eagle is as uplifting as it wants to be. It struggles to make us forget that this is ultimately a celebration of mediocrity, and quoting Pierre de Coubertin out of context does not make this an easier pill to swallow.

Watchable, fun (but never funny) & forgettable, I can’t say this is a must-see but I’m sure it’ll go down well with a Bailey’s on Boxing day.