Rudy

Starring: Sean Astin, Jon Favreau, Ned Beatty, Charles S. Dutton, Lili Taylor, Robert Prosky, Vince Vaughn
Directed by: David Anspaugh
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama, Sport
1993

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: Rudy (Sean Astin) has dreamt of playing football for Notre Dame his entire life. However, his grades are too poor to get into the school and he's too small to play for the team. Regardless of what everyone tells him, he sets out to achieve his dreams.

Review:

Tim: Rudy is rightly considered one of the all-time classic sports movies. It's a football movie, yes, but it's so much more than that. It's a movie about goodness. About the underdog overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds. It's about believing in yourself when no one else does. It's about love and passion (although for a school, not a person). It's a beautiful, entertaining, wonderful movie.

I know the film was based on a true story and I'm fine with the movie taking some creative license. I'm more okay with that because the choices made here resulted in a great film. Did the crowd chant "Rudy! Rudy!" during his final game? Probably not, but the scene here elicits chills as you watch. I'm okay with that. The movie is really a story about a man who persevered in chasing his dreams. We really get to know Rudy Ruettiger and his story is powerful. By all accounts, for much of his early life, there wasn't much to celebrate. He grew up in a working class neighborhood, never had much ambition, not much was expected of him. It's a life that many others in this country have lived. What's remarkable isn't that he was born knowing what he wanted to do. His story isn't Michael Jordan's- one lifelong quest to become the best at what you love. Rudy's journey was muddled, marred by setbacks. He might have loved Notre Dame, but going there was a far-off dream for much of his life. It's amazing how late it was before he started trying to act on that dream. That's a big reason I loved the film- by all accounts, Rudy shouldn't have been able to accomplish anything he did. There's no reason to think he could ever get into Notre Dame, much less make it on the football team, much less actually dress for a game. The movie does a fantastic job of showing how difficult and nearly impossible these dreams were. And yet, Rudy persists through all that adversity. It's a big reason why this movie can be so emotional for so many viewers. We go on this journey with Rudy and none of it feels easy. I give director David Anspaugh immense credit for depicting Rudy's journey.

It helps that Sean Astin gives the performance of a lifetime as Rudy. You believe him as this kid who never really got a break. He's likeable and charismatic enough so that you become invested in him. He's flawed, but at heart, a good person. Astin makes you love his character. He's a big reason why this movie is so emotional, so memorable. Jon Favreau adds a great supporting performance and brings some nice humor to the film. Ned Beatty was effective as Astin's dad- his performance was really impressive. He can be cold and distant, but so loving and proud. It's easy to overlook how good Beatty was. Charles S. Dutton was fantastic in a small supporting role. He adds so much to the film. It was also great seeing Robert Prosky- I'm a huge fan. Also keep an eye out for a small performance by Vince Vaughn. The cast as a whole is really effective.

While Rudy is certainly a football movie, it's much more than that. I was equally entertained by the scenes of Rudy studying at school as I was the moments on the gridiron. That's a big reason why this movie is so great. Fortunately, the football scenes are so well shot, too. You really feel for Rudy and the blows he continually took at practice. The heart this kid has was amazing. This all culminates in the final game, which is one of the finest sports moments ever depicted on film. I don't know how anyone couldn't get emotional watching that final game. It's the cherry on top of a truly excellent movie.

I'm obviously a big fan of this film. It's heartwarming, entertaining, and inspiring. Rudy is one of the best sports movies ever made.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Field of Dreams, Knute Rockne: All American