Movie Review: Eddie the Eagle

Taron Egerton as Eddie the Eagle. Photo / Supplied

It is rather puzzling that it has taken so long for this story to reach cinema screens.

As a semi-biographical film about the exploits of Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards in the lead-up to the 1988 Olympic Games in Calgary, Canada, as a reluctantly accepted member of the Great Britain Olympic team, this story is perfect for a nerd-overcomes-the-odds crowd pleaser.

It has taken 28 years for a film version to appear and as numerous commentators (and Eddie himself) have noted, it is largely a fictional, fanciful rendering of events, but also an accurate reconstruction of Europe in the late 1980s.

The role of Hugh Jackman as Bronson Perry, the disgraced former Olympian who becomes Eddie's coach, is a complete fabrication, and one suspects that other characters and encounters are liberal embroidering of the truth.

But this is not a documentary and truth is less important than creating the story of an unlikely hero overcoming the barriers of his social background, physical limitations, parental obstruction and initial public disbelief, to become a hero for millions.

Eddie did compete in 70m and 90m jumps at the Games and it did not matter to his fans that he finished last in both events.

This is an affectionate film, to be enjoyed but not examined too closely.

Taron Egerton captures the naivety and hopelessness of Eddie well, but his facial gurnings can get irritating - such tics were a part of Eddie's persona.

Jackman does well but the bit parts (Norwegians, Finns) tended to be one-dimensional stereotypes.

- Geoff Lealand teaches in Screen & Media Studies at the University of Waikato.