Invincible (Blu-ray) (2006)

"It has grit.  Kyle Smith, New York Post
"Another surefire sports biography from Disney.  Lawrence Toppman, Charlotte Observer
"...believable and touching.  Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

Editor's Note The story of the misfit outsider who rises through the ranks of a professional sport to enjoy inexplicable success has been stamped into celluloid more times than most folks can remember. INVINCIBLE tells the tale of bartender Vince Papale (Mark Wahlberg), a down-on-his-luck former teacher who decides to answer an open tryout for the Philadelphia Eagles. It doesn't take a genius to work out what happens next, but the twist here is that Vince Papale is a real person, and the story is based on his eyebrow-raising memoir of the same name. Papale's call-up to the Eagles occurred in 1976, so the flowery fashions and long flowing locks worn by both men and women of the era are all immaculately replicated by director Ericson Core's carefully styled cast. When Eagles coach Dick Vermeil (Greg Kinnear) throws his last, desperate roll of the dice and recruits Papale, he faces open hostility from his team of professionals. Papale also has to catch a few jibes at his expense, especially as he's a little old to be a professional football player. As the ill-fitting future star jostles with his teammates and strives to prove himself in the team, a host of '70s hits rip through the soundtrack, and subplots about a jealous friend (Dov Davidoff) and a lover (Elizabeth Banks) are utilized to lure in non-sports fans. Wahlberg is well cast, drawing on his experience in the similarly themed ROCK STAR, and once again proving his chops as a leading man. INVINCIBLE is a Disney film and follows firmly in the footsteps the company has imprinted upon the movie industry, with its wholesome tale closely resembling two other flicks the company has produced--REMEMBER THE TITANS and THE ROOKIE.

	Elizabeth Banks
	Greg Kinnear
	Kevin Conway
	Mark Wahlberg
	Brad Epstein - Executive Producer
	Brad Gann - Writer
	Charley Beal - Art Director
	Ericson Core - Cinematographer
	Ericson Core - Director
	Gerald B. Greenberg - Editor
	Mark Isham - Original Music By
	Vince Papale - Producer

Entertainment Weekly
"[Wahlberg] plays Vince as a guy who truly doesn't expect to win. That makes his rib-bruising triumph all the more believable and touching." -- Grade: B 09/01/2006 p.51

New York Times
"INVINCIBLE counters its predictably inspirational trajectory with close attention to historical detail and blue-collar hardship." 09/05/2006 p.E16

ReelViews 6 of 10
One corner of the genre of sports cliches is devoted to true stories of overachieving underdogs. In recent years, Disney has repeatedly raided this area, creating one inspiring story after another, most of which (like Remember the Titans and The Rookie) have been rousing and crowd-pleasing. With Invincible, however, hero-worship and unimaginative storytelling have caused the project to strike a sour note. I'm sure there's a lot to cheer about in the real-life story of pro football player Vince Papale, but there's nothing to laud in this lifeless white-wash of a motion picture. Disney's decision to move the release date to the dead-end dog days of late August is justified. Aside from die-hard Philadelphia Eagles fans, it's hard to see the film appealing to a theatrical audience. - James Berardinelli

Variety 8 of 10
Based on the almost impossible-to-believe true story of South Philadelphia barkeep Vince Papale's bid to make the roster of his beloved Philadelphia Eagles, "Invincible" has victory on its mind -- starting with its title. The latest entry in Disney's ever-growing stable of triumphant sports movies ("The Rookie," "Glory Road"), pic nevertheless seldom feels canned or the result of a mass-production assembly line...Brad Gann's screenplay smoothly and convincingly tracks Vince's extremely uneven efforts to secure a toe-hold in the organization, as well as Vermeil's own uphill efforts to turn the franchise around. - Robert Koehler