Eddie The Eagle Uplifts a Fading Empire
By Skip Sheffield
Everyone loves an underdog. Michael “Eddie” Edwards was more
than just an underdog. He was a source of national pride for a fading British
empire.
Eddie Edwards is played by Taron Egerton. Egerton is a
British actor who co-starred with Alicia Vikander in “Testament of Youth,” but
this is by far is biggest role, and he nails it.
Eddie Edwards was plagued from childhood with poor vision
and weak knees. He was told he could never make it into the Olympics. What
Edwards lacked in physical prowess he made up with intelligence and sheer
determination. When Edwards learned the British had not fielded an Olympic
ski-jumping team in 52 years, he decided to focus on that. Besides, it was
easier to quality for that than for the cut-throat downhill skiing competition.
Eddie’s skeptical father (Keith Allen) is no help. He thinks
Eddie should concentrate on the family plastering business. Mom (Jo Hartley) on
the other hand is supremely supportive of her dorky son, no matter how unlikely
his quest seems.
Taron Egerton must have put on weight to play chubby Eddie.
His first yellowish ski outfit makes him look like Winnie-the-Pooh, and his
thick glasses make him look even more nerdy.
Director Dexter Fletcher and writer Simon Kelton have taken
liberties with the facts. The largest liberty is the fictional character of
washed-up, alcoholic ex-ski-jumper Bronson Peary, played with wry bravado by
Broadway star Hugh Jackman. The salvation of booze-soaked Peary dovetails with
the success of teetotaler, milk-drinking Eddie. Will Peary’s nemesis, former
ski jump champion Warren Sharp (Christopher Walken at his haughtiest) finally
forgive and respect Pathetic Peary? One guess.
Yes, “Eddie The Eagle” is corny and predictable, but like
the real Eddie Edwards it is a crowd-pleaser. Edwards may have come in dead
last in both his events at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics, but he emerged a
national hero for a country that desperately needed one.
No comments:
Post a Comment