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(About Our Ads) "INVINCIBLE" (2006) (Mark Wahlberg, Greg Kinnear) (PG) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Moderate Minor Heavy Minor Minor Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Mild None None *Mild Minor Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Mild None Moderate Moderate Mild QUICK TAKE: Sports Drama: Despite the long odds, his age, size, and lack of experience, an unassuming 30-year-old man tries out for a spot playing professional football for the 1976 Philadelphia Eagles. PLOT: It's 1976 and 30-year-old Vince Papale (MARK WAHLBERG) and his friends Tommy (KIRK ACEVEDO) and Pete (MICHAEL KELLY) have endured the end of another losing season for the Philadelphia Eagles. If that wasn't bad enough, Vince's wife Sharon (LOLA GLAUDINI) has had enough of him playing pickup football with them rather than finding a real job, and has moved out, while his gig as a substitute teacher has fallen through. Accordingly, he spends more time doing part-time bartending for his friend Max (MICHAEL RISPOLI) who runs the local watering hole where he and his friends try to wash away their sorrows. Their latest point of discussion -- beyond Max hiring Janet Cantwell (ELIZABETH BANKS) his New York Giants loving cousin to work in the bar -- is former UCLA head coach Dick Vermeil (GREG KINNEAR) being brought in to try to change the team's fortunes. Nearly everyone thinks it's a bad idea -- except for the coach's wife Carol (PAIGE TURCO) -- especially when he decides to open up the team's tryouts to anyone regardless of their experience. Having seen Vince play in their games, however, his friends encourage him to try out, but he doesn't think he has a shot and thus is reluctant, a belief shared by his widowed father Frank Papale (KEVIN CONWAY). Nevertheless, and despite his doubts as well as those stated by bar regular Johnny (DOV DAVIDOFF), Vince decides he has nothing to lose. When he impresses the coach -- despite his age, small size and lack of any real experience playing organized football -- Vince is called back for further tryouts. From that point on, and as he and Janet start to fall for each other and Vermeil hopes he can turn the team around, Vince musters everything inside him to try to make the squad. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? If they're into sports dramas or are fans of someone in the cast, they just might. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG For sports action and some mild language. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: MARK WAHLBERG plays an unassuming 30-year-old substitute teacher and part-time bartender who follows his friends' advice and tries out for the Philadelphia Eagles. Despite the odds stacked against him, he strives to attain that goal, although he's realistic about his chances. He drinks some, and briefly thrashes some furniture when his wife leaves him, but he ends up falling for Janet. GREG KINNEAR plays the determined and hardworking new head coach who thinks that Vince might be part of what could turn around the team. ELIZABETH BANKS plays Max's cousin who takes a job bartending at the local bar and doesn't abandon her favorite team -- or her extensive knowledge of sports -- despite being surrounded by men and Eagles fans. She ends up falling for Vince. KEVIN CONWAY plays Vince's widowed father who doesn't want his son to experience any additional heartbreak. MICHAEL RISPOLI plays Vince's friend who gives him a job as a part-time bartender at the local watering hole. KIRK ACEVEDO plays Vince's friend who drinks and encourages him to try out for the team. MICHAEL KELLY plays another friend who does the same. DOV DAVIDOFF plays a regular in the bar who's always giving Vince a hard time, but eventually comes around to support him. LOLA GLAUDINI plays Vince's wife who leaves him when she's had enough of him not having a full-time job. PAIGE TURCO plays Coach Vermeil's always-supportive wife. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this sports drama that's been rated PG. Profanity consists of a handful of minor expletives, while some colorful phrases are also present. A couple is briefly seen passionately kissing outside a building before going in (we don't know if anything else happens), while some shirtless male football players are seen, as are the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders in their standard attire. Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes, including a wife who leaves her husband, prompting him to smash up their mostly empty place. Other violence includes some hard-hitting during football practice and games. Meanwhile, various characters drink in the bar (with many appearing to be regulars there). If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, there is a varying amount of camera movement at various points in the film (sometimes a lot of handheld footage, while other scenes feature spin-around camera shots). ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Vince has what appears to be beer while watching the last game of the Eagles' season. Various people drink in Max's bar. We see more drinking in the neighborhood bar, and then a handful of such patrons later, while Tommy has a beer outside the bar. About something he's told Vince, Tommy says he might have eight beers in him, but that he's serious about what he's just said. About Johnny being mean to Vince, Max says to forget it, saying that Johnny is drunk. Some wannabe players in line for tryouts hold cans in brown paper bags (suggesting it's beer). Men drink in the bar and later have a toast for Vince (Max holds a shot of liquor, others have beer). We see a sign in the bar that reads, "Beauty lies in the eye of the beer holder." We see the regulars drinking in the bar again. We see men drinking in the bar again. The regulars drink in the bar in another scene. BLOOD/GORE As a news crew prepares to interview Vince outside the bar, we see Pete walk out in the background of the shot and turn to the wall, as if preparing to urinate (Max runs up and stops him, but nothing is seen). We hear the sound of vomiting and then see Vince come out of one bathroom stall (and wash his mouth out in the sink), followed by Coach Vermeil coming out of another (from nerves for both before the first real game). DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Various fans voice their displeasure toward the team and its losing season (calling them "losers," etc.). Vince returns home to find that his wife has left and taken most of the furniture with her. In response, he throws the phone through a glass door and then repeatedly smashes a lone piece of furniture against the wall (we later see various holes in the walls). A local guy, Johnny, has a consistent bad attitude toward Vince, always cutting him down and/or giving him a hard time (they eventually mend fences toward the end of the film). A man refers to Janet as "sweetheart" (in a non-romantic way). Some of the pro players make fun of and/or don't like Vince as he tries out for the team (several scenes feature that). We see a note from Vince's ex-wife (which she left for him when she departed) that says he won't amount to anything and won't ever go anywhere in life (he uses that as motivation to succeed). There's hard contact during practice, with Vince attacking one player when he makes fun of having found the scathing note from Vince's then-wife. Others then separate the players. Janet states that she discovered (in the past) that her ex-boyfriend was married. A black pro player, commenting on Vince's comparative slowness to them (as well as his skin color), says that it looks like the "cream's coming to the top." When some fans badmouth Janet for appearing in the stands wearing a Giants jersey, Pete races up to confront one such man and the two briefly struggle. FRIGHTENING SCENES Vince returns home to find that his wife has left and taken most of the furniture with her. In response, he throws the phone through a glass door and then repeatedly smashes a lone piece of furniture against the wall (we later see various holes in the walls). Some of the rough tackles (that are hard on Vince's body) might be a little unsettling to some viewers. GUNS/WEAPONS A miscellaneous cop wears a standard-issue sidearm. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "You're a bum," "Loser(s)," "A hell of a deal," "Put a leash on that mug," "Hey grumpy," "Shut your mouth," "Screw Mean Joe" (nonsexual), "I've seen glaciers move faster," "A ship of fools," "Sweetheart," "Shut up," "You're damn right you are," "Nutcracker" (what Coach Vermeil calls a player), "Freaking," "You're nuts," "Give 'em hell" and "What the hell is he doing?" A guy spits. A miscellaneous person has tattoos on his arm. We see some miscellaneous graffiti. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) None. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) A period song has the repeated lyric, "Fooled around and fell in love" (that may or may not be sexual in nature). PROFANITY At least 4 hells, 1 damn, 2 uses of "Oh my God" and 1 use of "God." SEX/NUDITY We see Vince shirtless while he wraps his torso with material after a hard practice. A period song has the repeated lyric, "Fooled around and fell in love" (that may or may not be sexual in nature). We briefly see the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders in their standard 1970s era outfits (small shorts, cleavage-revealing tops, etc.). We see several shirtless male players in the locker room. Vince passionately kisses Janet on the street, they then do more and then go into his place continuing to do the same (the scene ends there, so we don't know what, if anything else, happens). SMOKING None. TENSE FAMILY SCENES Vince's wife isn't happy with him (ranging from not being successful to being out playing pickup football with his friends) and wonders when things are going to get better. Vince returns home to find that his wife has left and taken most of the furniture with her (no children are involved). In response, he throws the phone through a glass door and then repeatedly smashes a lone piece of furniture against the wall (we later see various holes in the walls). Vince visits his father and there's brief talk about the years of Vince's mother being sick (she's deceased). Pete says he never said good luck to Andrew before he went off to Vietnam (but we don't know if that's a brother or a friend). We see a note from Vince's ex-wife (which she left for him when she departed) that says he won't amount to anything and won't ever go anywhere in life (he uses that as motivation to succeed). TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT The historical accuracy and/or any artistic license taken with the story. Free agents trying to make it in professional sports. Unions and strikes. How sports teams unify their fans (in both good and bad ways). Vince returns home to find that his wife has left and taken most of the furniture with her (no children are involved). Vince's father saying a man can only take so much failure. Pete says he never said good luck to Andrew before he went off to Vietnam (but we don't know if that's a brother or a friend). Johnny continues to have a bad attitude toward Vince, saying the latter will still be nothing, "Just like the rest of us." Vince's comment that he's tired of letting everyone down. The comment that the fans don't want heart (in a player), but instead want wins. Max's comment that in South Philly, their strength is in their numbers. VIOLENCE There's some hard tackling during a pro football game. During a pickup game of lot football, there's some hard contact between players, including one purposefully clotheslining another. The recipient of that then gets up and shoves the other guy. We see more hard contact, including a guy tackling Vince quite hard, and him then pushing an opponent "out of bounds" over a parked car. Vince returns home to find that his wife has left and taken most of the furniture with her. In response, he throws the phone through a glass door and then repeatedly smashes a lone piece of furniture against the wall (we later see various holes in the walls). During a montage of tryouts, a football hits a wannabe player in the gut or crotch, doubling him over. There's hard contact during practice, with Vince attacking one player when he makes fun of having found the scathing note from Vince's then-wife. Others then separate the players. There's a hard tackle on Vince during practice. There's some hard contact in a pro football game, including involving Vince getting smashed around. When some fans badmouth Janet for appearing in the stands wearing a Giants jersey, Pete races up to confront one such man and the two briefly struggle. There's more hard contact during a pro game. Reviewed August 8, 2006 / Posted August 25, 2006