Learning to Fly (And Fail) Like ‘Eddie the Eagle’
The Scoop features personal essays on movie-centric topics.
By Elliott Cuff
In a typical underdog story, we follow someone with near-hopeless prospects—someone who doesn’t stand a chance at achieving the success they desire—but through hard work, determination, and sheer force of will, they rise to the occasion and beat the odds.
More often than not, movies that follow that simple formula culminate with either our athlete or team of overachievers emerging victorious or falling at the final hurdle. Regardless of the outcome, we get a sense of euphoric accomplishment through the fact that they even reached the final hurdle in the first place.
But that’s where Dexter Fletcher’s 2016 film Eddie the Eagle sets itself apart from the rest, and in doing so became one of the most emblematic sports movies in recent memory.
Cool Skiings
A rose-tinted, retro yarn, Eddie the Eagle tells the real-life story of Eddie Edwards, an unconventional would-be athlete with the unfaltering ambition of becoming an Olympian. Edwards clatters through his younger years trying various track and field sporting events, failing repeatedly, which constantly puts him at odds with his pragmatic father.
But Edwards’ unflinching determination and never-say-die attitude leads him to discover an oversight he can take advantage of: since the Great Britain Olympic team doesn’t have anyone representing them in ski jumping at the upcoming 1988 Winter Games in Calgary, he need only meet modest requirements to book his ticket to Canada and make history as the first person ever to represent Great Britain in a ski jumping event.
Edwards succeeds at meeting those requirements, but once he makes it to Canada he fails, and by the largest margin imaginable: he comes dead last. He tries again by tackling an even more experienced jump, only to come dead last once again.
Throughout his journey, Edwards is ridiculed at every turn. His credentials are shamed by his fellow competitors, his family, the British Olympic Committee, and even initially his coach-turned-friend Bronson Peary (played memorably by the great Hugh Jackman). However, he never stops working hard to get where he wants to be.
Fighting Well is the Best Revenge
The movie repeatedly references a quote attributed to Pierre de Coubertin, former president of the International Olympic Committee:
The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.
Including such a famous statement isn’t accidental. Eddie isn’t interested in winning a gold medal in Calgary; he isn’t even concerned about whether he can match up against his opponents. He just wants to participate. Taking part has always been the target, and that’s what gives the film its charm.
It could be categorized as conventional, cookie-cutter storytelling, but how often do we get the chance to marvel at an athlete expressing pure, unfiltered excitement at just getting the chance to compete?
“He just wants to participate. Taking part has always been the target, and that’s what gives the film its charm.”
Edwards does eventually take himself more seriously—he’s not content to be a novelty act to be cheered or jeered. But he still puts his own measure of success before medal tables or the opinions of his peers.
Fletcher’s film banks on getting people emotionally invested in Edwards’ plight through how it frames his journey, trading off his lack of actual talent for genuine warmth and charisma. Taron Egerton seamlessly slips into the role, embodying Edwards’ recognizable goofiness and eternally optimistic energy to fine effect.
In Praise of Participation Trophies
Eddie the Eagle is a great sports movie not because of athletic triumph but because of how it approaches the interpretation of success against the conventions of winning.
It’s easy to watch movies about inspiring athletic achievements and forget that sports, at their core, are an inclusive activity. They allow everyone to grow physically, psychologically, socially, and emotionally. Eddie the Eagle is a reminder that it’s as much about drive, commitment, and the willingness to compete as it is about natural-born talent and awe-inspiring theatrics.
That’s what makes the movie such an emblematic piece; it doesn’t attempt to gate-keep, but instead encourages those who dream to continue striving against the hurdles that are put in their path. The essence of sport ultimately lies in the struggle, and in the enjoyment that comes from participating. Eddie the Eagle understands that better than most.
Elliott Cuff is a writer, journalist, and film enthusiast. Follow him on Twitter @CuffWrites and Instagram @elliottlovesmovies.