Eddie the Eagle

Directed by Dexter Fletcher, Eddie the Eagle follows Taron Egerton’s Michael Edwards as he defies the odds to become an Olympic ski jumper – with the quirky athlete’s efforts eventually assisted by Hugh Jackman’s grizzled Bronson Peary. It’s exceedingly familiar subject matter that is, for the most part, employed to compulsively watchable (and impressively engrossing) effect by Fletcher, as the filmmaker, armed with a script by Sean Macaulay and Simon Kelton, delivers a briskly-paced comedy/drama that benefits substantially from Egerton’s appealing, sympathetic turn as the affable central character – with Edwards slowly-but-surely, in Egerton’s capable hands, transformed into a completely captivating protagonist for whom one can’t help but root. (Jackman is equally strong here, too, and effortlessly transforms his gruff figure into a seriously spellbinding presence.) And while the narrative often seems to have emerged directly from a template for stories of this ilk, Eddie the Eagle builds towards an unexpectedly gripping final stretch that also packs one heck of an emotional punch – which ultimately does confirm the picture’s place as a top-tier inspirational sports tale.

***1/2 out of ****