Fantastic 2005 documentary about the American Quadrapalegic Rugby Team and their fight for the gold at the 2004 ParaOlympic Games in Athens. Don't let the title throw - this is a thorough, heartfelt look at these guys confined to wheelchairs for a variety of reasons, how they've come to terms with their situation, and how they've made the best of their lives despite the fact. You don't feel sorry for them at all; what you do feel is deep admiration and respect. These guys kick ass! The "stars", if you will, are Mark Zupan, the team captain, and Joe Soares, the coach of the Canadian team, once also a star on the American team who "defected" to the Great White North after he was booted off the American team because he was getting older and could no longer make the cut. He's the film's adversary (but not really because you get to see his softer side) - and his story is bigger than life; a writer couldn't have come up with a better script if this were fictional! The movie also shows some kids with recent injuries that have permanently paralyzed them and how they make it through recovery. You'll never again take being able to bend down and tie your shoe laces for granted ever again! I won't give away the ending, so definitely rent (or buy) this one!
This movie is a big turd! I don't know how consistently-decent director Richard Linklater ("Slacker", "Dazed and Confused", "Before Sunrise / Sunset", "School Of Rock") managed to have taken a phenomenal book and totally destroyed it. I think the big problem is that he took a book that is essentially a documentary and turned it into a mostly-fictional drama. It doesn't work, and most of the salient points of the book are lost on the general audience. If you happened to have read the book, you may pick up on subtle points conveyed in the movie, but for the most part this film is only complementary to the book and doesn't stand on its own two legs. This movie is also bloated with big name stars (e.g. Bruce Willis, Suzanne Arquette, Ethan Hawke), which are totally wasted in trite parts. I think it was just a vehicle for most of them to say "hey, look at me, I'm vegetarian and I'm a better person than you because of it". Well, I say the acting sucked, with the exception of Greg Kinnear who can do no wrong, and the plot was a big piece of crap. Go read the book and forget that this movie ever existed! Better yet, check out "Supersize Me", a hilarious look at the horror we know as McDonalds, and "Thank You For Smoking", Big Corporate America's perspective on us, The Sheep. Both films are infinitesimally better than this steaming pile. 'Nuff said.
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