Rudy

I saw this movie for the first time when I was in middle school some years back. Back then they showed every student this movie in the seventh grade, but I really fell in love with it. I remember just being in awe and really getting into it.Especially seeing as I'm a girl and girls don't like football or sports movies. But its one really transcends genders. The music really plays a key part and can move you to tears. The acting was spot on and its impossible not to identify with Rudy.Its the type of movie that when someone says they don't really care for it, you're like"That's blasphemy!" How could you not like it? Plus there are some great appearances by some movie stars, before they made it big. Every time I watch this movie or hear the music, I'am inspired.

This is a movie for everyone who ever felt like the little person, overlooked by those who were bigger or more popular. "Rudy" had kind of a lame title for a sports movie, and i remember the first time I saw a preview of it, I was totally moved and involved by the scenes and then guffawed aloud at the end when the announcer intoned, "RUDY." That set the rest of the theater laughing too, so imagine my surprise when i saw it a couple months later and it was a 10 out of 10 in my book. I'm not even a sports fan but this movie got me. It shows the power of faith to get by with any frustration in life, the performances are great and it's a shame that Sean Astin had to wait eight years to get another great break with "Lord of the Rings." His is a worldclass performance in this film, see it as it is one of the most inspiring films you'll ever see.

Sean Astin is "Rudy" in this 1993 true story of Rudy Ruettiger, a short, average kid who wanted to dress for the Notre Dame football team. Rudy's story is one that is used to demonstrate the power of single-mindedness and determination in the face of all odds. His story provides a great lesson - the brick walls aren't there to keep you out, they're only there to keep out the people who don't want something badly enough.

Rudy grows up obsessed with Notre Dame football, but he lacks the physical prowess for the game and the grades for Notre Dame. He also comes from a family, headed by Ned Beatty, whose attitude is, know your place and stay there, and whose goals are to join the union, work a union job, and have a home and family. Rudy's girlfriend wants to get married, and the only person who understands his dream is his best friend. When tragedy strikes, Rudy realizes that he has to pursue his dream or he'll never be happy.

This is a very inspirational film, all the more inspirational because it's true. Sean Astin gives a very natural performance as Rudy - he doesn't "act" in the sense of giving an emotional, big performance, but rather behaves like a young man from a lower middle class family in Joliet, Illinois, probably much as the real Rudy acted.

Life can be pretty frustrating and when trying to break through a glass ceiling or a brick wall like Rudy did, it's tempting to want to give up. People today want things to happen fast, too. Rudy's compelling story says that passion and perseverance can bring you a long way. Here was a kid with no money, no family support, dyslexia, average grades, who was too wimpy for football. Watch what happens to him.

To be completely honest, I was actually impressed with this film. It is sweet, but there is an honesty and a strong sense of realism at the heart of this film, which to me, provides the base of its appeal. "Rudy", unlike the majority of films about athletes, paints a picture of the real everyman (basically, the jock who isn't a jock) and it does so in a way that is plausible from start to finish. Working hard, eating, breathing and sleeping the game does not mean that you will wind up the star quarterback. Rudy's struggles are genuine: his family is poor and has never sent anyone to college, his grades are sub-par (largely the result of an undiagnosed learning disorder), he can't afford his junior college let alone Notre Dame and Rudy is, at best,only a moderate athlete. It is in the way that he overcomes these obstacles (not to mention the beautiful performance by Sean Astin) which provides the refreshing realism which is at core of this film. "Rudy" is what sports are really all about.

This is a great film about going for your dreams and never giving up. No matter who tells you that you can't do it, no matter how unlikely the chances are, no matter what, make sure you go for your dreams and do everything that you can make them come true.

Sean Astin delivers one of his best performances to date. He plays the character of Rudy Ruettiger perfectly! He was an excellent choice for the role and he deserves a great deal of credit for his work (as does the true life Rudy). The rest of the cast was quite good as well; Jon Favreau, Ned Beatty, Lili Taylor, Charles Dutton, Robert Prosky, and Vince Vaughn (in one of his first roles). All of the supporting cast was excellent.

If you like inspirational movies, or just movies about football (although there is much more to this movie than just football), then I highly recommend you see this film. I hope that you enjoy it. Thanks for reading,

-Chris