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Invincible
Buena Vista Pictures / Walt Disney Pictures


7.9

based on 28 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 56 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie

MPAA RATING: PG for sports action and some mild language

Starring Mark Wahlberg, Greg Kinnear, Elizabeth Banks, Kevin Conway, Michael Rispoli, Kirk Acevedo, Dov Davidoff, and Michael Kelly

Invincible is inspired by the true story of Vince Papale (Wahlberg), a man with nothing to lose who ignore the staggering odds and made his dream come true. (Disney)

GENRE(S):	Drama
WRITTEN BY:	Brad Gann
DIRECTED BY:	Ericson Core
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: December 19, 2006 Theatrical: August 25, 2006
RUNNING TIME:	106 minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	USA

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

Wahlberg, with shaggy hair and a pumped bod he wears more convincingly than any actor, plays Vince as a guy who truly doesn't expect to win. That makes his rib-bruising triumph all the more believable and touching.

Chicago Tribune Michael Phillips

The actors make it work. Greg Kinnear's Coach Vermeil exudes Southern California good vibrations without a lot of fuss or attitude.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Scott Tobias

Sure, the unlikely ascendance of 30-year-old Vince Papale from working-class suds-pumper to Philadelphia Eagles benchwarmer is a victory for the little guy, but it's still more of a personal victory, and that's what makes it touching.

New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman

So yes, you'll roll your eyes when the coach defies Papale's naysayers by insisting that "he has heart." But if there's a single surprise on this familiar field, it's that the movie does, too.

Charlotte Observer Lawrence Toppman

Another surefire sports biography from Disney.

Miami Herald Rene Rodriguez

One gigantic pile of cornball clichés, but there's no denying the movie works you over anyway.

Philadelphia Inquirer Carrie Rickey

Core, a cinematographer who helms both camera and directorial duties here, creates a vivid sense of time and place without letting the period music, clothes or art direction intrude. The performances are likewise understated and unpretentious, especially those of Wahlberg and Kinnear.

New York Post Kyle Smith

It has grit.

Baltimore Sun Chris Kaltenbach

The movie contains few surprises but has plenty of heart.

The Hollywood Reporter Kirk Honeycutt

A neatly packaged Walt Disney Co. picture with bone-crunching football action; a nice sense of the blue-collar, male-dominated milieu that nourishes football fanaticism; and a few too many tugs at the heartstrings.

Wall Street Journal Joanne Kaufman

Audiences will be rooting for him all the way to the end zone.

Village Voice Robert Wilonsky

Invincible joins "Rocky" or "Hoosiers" or "Breaking Away" as one of the few satisfying sports movies in which the foundation built upon a heap of clichés holds strong.

Variety Robert Koehler

Handling both directing and cinematography duties, Core invests both with a clearly impassioned sense of place, period and perspective regarding this fanfare for common men.

LA Weekly Scott Foundas

Core has a touch with actors, too, and there are surprisingly fine performances here.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold

Wahlberg is effective in the role and carries the movie nicely.

USA Today Claudia Puig

Invincible doesn't offer any surprises. But it is a well-made, fairly exciting movie that, like its hero, has heart.

TV Guide Maitland McDonagh

The film's depiction of life among the salt of the earth is blandly cartoonish; and the "Super Sounds of the '70s" soundtrack meticulously matches songs to action, as though the filmmakers didn't trust viewers to figure out what these one-note characters were feeling.

Boston Globe Wesley Morris

Has the problem of drifting in and out of authenticity.

Film Threat Rick Kisonak

A touching, stirring story even if it has been given the Hollywood treatment.

The New York Times Jeannette Catsoulis

Invincible counters its predictably inspirational trajectory with close attention to historical detail and blue-collar hardship.

Washington Post Ann Hornaday

There's too much slow-mo and too many music cues, but there's a low-key buzz to Wahlberg's scenes with Greg Kinnear.

Portland Oregonian Marc Mohan

Papale's story is more than any fan could dream of, which is why it's frustrating that Invincible feels the need to embellish it. While mentioning he never played football in college, the film ignores that he did play in a semipro league prior to his Eagles tryout.

Salon.com Stephanie Zacharek

The movie is straightforward in a way that makes it feel less manipulative than it might.

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Jennie Punter

Despite its title, the movie admirably sticks to its game plan of ennobling the everyman as opposed to turning Papale into some kind of Superman.

Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov

Invincible is like a thick, sweaty slab of NFL comfort food.

ReelViews James Berardinelli

From the poor set design to the mediocre acting to the paint-by-numbers screenplay, this is TV fare at best.

Chicago Reader J.R. Jones

The genre shows serious signs of wear in this needlessly fictionalized feature about Vince Papale.

San Francisco Chronicle Ruthe Stein

The movie is shamelessly manipulative.

The average user rating for this movie is 7.9 (out of 10) based on 56 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Sam M gave it a10:
Great cast, I really thought wahlberg was an awful actor till I watched this. A truly remarkable and moving story. 10 for me and i hate football.

R. L gave it a10:
Stand up and cheer is the right motto for this exceptionally well made and well acted true story about one of football's greats Vince Papale, the film starts out relatively slow and then kicks into 1st gear when Vince decides to do what he always wanted to do forever play football for his home team. Now a 30 year old bar tender is about to become the Eagle's most unlikely rookie. Invincible is a courageous movie that show's you no matter what you do or how old you are you can make a difference in whatever you do. I hope my review helps.

Jack B. gave it an8:
This movie was never going to be some Oscar winning, incredibly original and innovative piece of art but it is certainly entertaining. Not being into American Football i didn't know much about the character but saw a trailer and thought it was worth a watch. It certainly was, Wharlberg played the role well and it was just well made overall. Its true the plot has been done before, man has dream, over comes obstacles, theres a girl, doubts self then gets there in the end...but who doesn't love a story where the underdog wins? To those of you who claim bits are stolen from Rocky...Rocky is fiction, this is based on reality, not all that concretely but its accurate enough. To summarise, good film, good feel good factor, certainly one of the better ones in the genre.

Joe O. gave it a10:
I am a football fan and a fan of life. I loved the movie even though it could have been a little closer to how it really happened. Great movie Great Story!!

Steve K. gave it a7:
Wow, Mark B. on the scout team really has to lighten up. When you watch a movie like this, you know what you are going to get, and for what it is, it is very good. Quit projecting your issues with other movies on this one. If you are not completely jaded and cynical, you can actually enjoy this movie. My one complaint is that Vince is actually a lot more charismatic in real life than the Mark Wahlberg vesion. Watch the featurette in the DVD about the real Vince Pampale and you can tell that this guy has a transcendent lust for life and he relished every minute of his opportunity to be an Iggle. Mark Wahlberg kinda scowls his way through this movie, and it woulda been nice to have a charcater actually enjoy the journey a little bit while it is happening instead of being the kinda "ah shucks, this really isn't going to work out" character that we see. Still though, if you like the feel-good Remember the Titans kinda movies. This one is extremely enjoyable and considerably less corny than Titans.

Noemi M. gave it a10:
My husband and I enjoy it so much, for us this is an excellent movie its help you to realize that people mostly spect lest from theirselves when it should be the contrary, people should figth for their dreams and try to make them come true.

Teri A. gave it a10:
I am sorry for all those who didn't like the movie, but I absolutely loved it. I am not even a football fan. But I felt it showed all the things he must of felt and gone through. It even gave me the strength to go on- And even today-Vince seems down to earth and full of spirit . Iam sure you parents are so proud of you and your family- I absolutely loved the film and even though it does resemble the Rocky films. Perhaps Stallone got the idea from The Vince Papali Story, NOT the other way around as one of your readers suggest. Thanks Vince for sharing your life with the rest of us.

Invincible Buena Vista Pictures / Walt Disney Pictures

Invincible
Buena Vista Pictures / Walt Disney Pictures