Unbesiegbar – Der Traum seines Lebens (2006)

Unbesiegbar – Der Traum seines Lebens: Directed by Ericson Core. With Mark Wahlberg, Greg Kinnear, Elizabeth Banks, Kevin Conway. 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.

“Somewhat loosely based on a true story, INVINCIBLE is your standard root-for-the-underdog sports movie, nothing more, nothing less. Mark Wahlberg is Vince Papale, a beefy touch football player/bartender who struts his stuff at an open tryout for the Philadelphia Eagles. Overcoming tremendous odds, Papale cracks the roster after earning the faith of rookie coach Dick Vermeil (Greg Kinnear).u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eINVINCIBLE probably would have been better as a less family-friendly film. Everything happens so cleanly in this Disney pic that it loses some of its realism and credibility. The audience may also feel cheated given the extreme liberties the writers took with the Papale story, including a complete disregard for his pro pigskin experience, fabricating an open-to-the-public tryout and the invention of a u0026quot;you wonu0026#39;t amount to anythingu0026quot; note from Papaleu0026#39;s former partner. No bio pic is 100 per cent truthful, but this is going a bit too far.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWhile there is a certain charm and inspirational underpinning to INVINCIBLE, it canu0026#39;t hold a handle to many of the other entries of the same genre. Itu0026#39;s one of those movies that can be summed up with four words: good but never great. The performances are good but never great. The direction is good but never great. The list goes on. Junior high-aged kids will probably appreciate this one the most.”