Mr. Movie: ‘Eddie the Eagle’ soars

Eddie the Eagle is based on a true story. It’s inspiring, heartwarming and downright funny in spots, but it’s more fictional than true. Thus the word “based.” The real-life Eddie Edwards was England’s only ski jumper in the 1988 Calgary Olympics. And he really was a media darling and a great human interest story.

And that’s just about all that’s true about Eddie the Eagle.

Wearing glasses that would dazzle Mr. Magoo, Taron Egerton (Kingsmen: The Secret Service) is practically the real Eddie’s twin. His story starts as a boy with leg braces and his clumsy attempts at being an athlete. As we move into his teens, the desire increases, and when narrowly missing England’s Olympic skiing team, Eddie decides to ski jump instead.

The Olympic committee doesn’t like Eddie and discourages his decision. But Eddie perseveres and eventually talks Hugh Jackman’s Bronson Peary, a ski jumping legend, into helping him learn the sport. In Disneyesque feel-good fashion, Peary agrees, and in equally cliché fashion, Eddie makes it to Calgary and competes.

What I can’t figure out is why they fictionalized this one. The real life, self-promoting Eddie’s story is mind blowing, much more inspiring and even funnier. That’s not to say this isn’t a good movie or worth seeing. It’s a hoot, but much of the hooting is hooey.