Eddie The Eagle Review

Eddie the Eagle soars high as it delivers a heart warming family adventure set to inspire the whole family. Well cast, lovingly directed and full of charm, it may not deliver to the world’s audience but it will certainly appeal to the British spirit.Eddie the Eagle is a gentle tale, following Michael Edwards, the first competitor in the Winter Olympics to represent Great Britain at Ski jumping.Director Dexter Fletcher is arguably one of the most unknown yet versatile people in the entertainment business. Dancing between on and off screen roles, he is best known for his work in TV’s ‘Hotel Babylon’ and in London gangster films such as ‘Lock Stock’. When he gets behind the camera however, he manages to capture the human spirit and wrap it up in a typical ‘feel-good’ blanket that would warm even the coldest of hearts.Taking a similar approach to 2013’s Sunshine on Leith, Fletcher does a good job at telling the story of a humble character. Maintaining focus throughout, the plot is well paced and subtly creates the highs and lows of the typical underdog story.  Although you could easily say its follows the same journey as other feel-good films out there, it’s done well enough for the audience to enjoy.As you would expect, the screenplay isn’t the most imaginative out there but in reality, it was never really going to be. Stuffed with charm, the plot is easy to follow, making it one of the ‘nicer’ films to take the kids over the Easter holidays. With a nice balance of human spirit and a modest sense of humour, connecting to these characters is much easier than you could imagine.A film like this however is less about the story and more about the characters. Taron Edgerton and Hugh Jackman are a fine choice, bringing the laughs as and where they are needed. Edgerton in particular brings shed loads of the heart to the role and does a good job in the lead. With a homely supporting cast, it’s almost like watching the family down the street go on an amazing adventure.Films like this are one of the harder things to give a rating to. There is nothing to dislike here - in fact anything negative would feel like putting a boot to a bunny – it’s just a little unfortunate that there is nothing mind blowing about it either. With a simple, humble story told in just the right way, Eddie the Eagle is definitely one of the more family friendly trips to the cinema this month. 3.5 out of 5.