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Sean Astin, Ned Beatty. The true story of a young man who will let nothing stop him from realizing his lifelong dream-to play football for Notre Dame's Fighting Irish. 1993/color/112 min/PG/fullscreen.

Others have their own reasons for liking this film so much. Here are three of mine. First, the casting of Astin in the lead role. His performance is endearing, to be sure, but also convincing. Hence my discomfort with Anspaugh's use of gimmicks when none is necessary. Second, the exteriors shot on the Notre Dame campus which is especially lovely during each of the four seasons. I really did feel as if I were tagging along with Rudy as he attends classes, works for Fortune as a member of the stadium's groundskeeping crew, and then participates in especially brutal team practices. Third and finally, I enjoyed observing what seems to be a totally authentic respect for Rudy among the team's starters both on offense and defense. That respect was earned day in and day out, brutal practice after brutal practice, as Rudy and his battered companions helped to prepare the team for its next game. It is worth noting that Rudy Ruettiger was the only player ever to be carried off the field at Notre Dame stadium. The filmmakers recreated the scene with real fans during a break in the 1992 Boston College game. Some 60,000 fans stood and cheered as actor Sean Astin was carried off the field.

Those who enjoyed this film should also check out The Natural (1984), Hoosiers (1986), Babe (1995), Remember the Titans (2000), and Miracle (2004).
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Those who are curious about the "real" and "reel" Rudy Ruettiger are encouraged to visit http://www.chasingthefrog.com/reelfaces/rudy.php. Here are brief excerpts:

Q: Was the groundskeeper played by Charles S. Dutton a real character?

A: Rudy answered no to this question himself during an interview with the Pigskin Post by saying the following, "He was a composite, but that was reality. And that's what happened in my life...all through my life. I would encounter people like that and they would help me get through the tough times through their wisdom and their encouragement."

Q: Was there actually a priest who helped Rudy get into Holy Cross Junior College?

A: In the same Pigskin Post interview as above, Rudy replied to this question by saying, "There were several who played important roles, but, again, you can't develop them all in one two-hour movie."

Q: Did Rudy really sleep in the maintenance room of the football stadium?

A: Rudy actually slept in a room in the basketball arena. The school had the room there for someone to stay during off-hours for insurance reasons.

Q: Was coach Dan Devine really that cold-hearted against dressing Rudy for the last home game of Rudy's college career?

A: In Devine's autobiography, Simply Devine, he writes that it was his idea to dress Rudy for the final game of his college career and also to play him. Devine says that the screenwriter, Angelo Pizzo, told him that the plot would only work if Devine became the heavy. He agreed in order to help out Rudy, someone whom he calls a friend. "I didn't realize I would be such a heavy," he writes.

26 of 27 found the following review helpful:


Ok Let's End it Right Here  Dec 08, 2001
I think I've seen this movie 100 times, and I have to admit that I never get tired of watching it. This DVD is obviously not for insensitive morons like the guy that gave this 1 star. But, I can tell you that if you coach sports, play in them, or are at all involved in them...you will want to buy this.

A guy said that he doesn't understand why Rudy wanted to play at Notre Dame so much? What about you? Have you never had a dream before? I understand why he did want so much to play at Notre Dame, and any other person can see that too. OK now time for my actual review of the movie:

I thought that this movie was very well-directed, and inspiring. I cried at the end of this movie, and I guarentee if you play sports you will as well. If not tears, you will get chill bumps just watching the end. It's about young man that has always wanted to play football for Notre Dame, but was always too small to. It's a long and meaningful story, but I don't want to spoil anything for you ...you have to get that experience when you see it.

Please buy this DVD. It is really a great and inspiring movie and I'm sure that you will like it.

HIGHLY RECCOMENDED

19 of 20 found the following review helpful:


Rudy  Jun 09, 2006 By Jane Anderson
Rudy is based on a true story about a young boy (played by Sean Astin) growing up in a blue-collar family with a dream to someday go to college and play football at Notre Dame. His family and teachers say he's not smart enough, not athletic enough, and why doesn't he accept his fate working in the local steel mill with his father and brothers. He refused to let his dream die and becomes a walk-on player.

The original movie came out in 1993. Sean Astin was in The Lord of the Rings. Ned Beatty portrays his father. David Anspaugh is the director.

Rudy is one of my all-time favorite movies. The acting is wonderful, especially Sean Astin's performance. The fact that it is a true story kept me watching from the beginning to the end. The music score is well written and inspirational.

I would recommend Rudy to anyone, young or old, who has a dream and needs the inspiration to pursue it.

9 of 9 found the following review helpful:


True-to-Life Tale of Simple Dreams  Nov 02, 2005 By Daniel R. Sanderman
RUDY is the story of a boy chasing a dream, who in the process becomes a man. It is a plot formula that we have seen before, time and time again. So what makes RUDY stand out so much in my mind? I think what makes this film so successful is the fact that it is true to life, unlike many sports films. In your typical "underdog" film, the sports team faces another losing season, only to channel their hopes and dreams into winning the state championship, the World Cup, etc. It is a concept that is generally played out exclusively "on the field," presenting the audience with a myopic view of the world in which sports are the only thing that matters. I often wonder to myself, after seeing such a film, "What happened to them after that?" And unless we're watching THE MIGHTY DUCKS, who decide to answer the question by putting out more movies, that question is left unanswered.

RUDY is very different. Here is a story about a dream. It is not a dream to score the winning touchdown of a bowl game. It is not a dream to play professional football. It is not an unrealizable fantasy that is sloppily achieved through the magic of filmmaking. Instead, it is a simple dream: to dress for one game on the Notre Dame football team. That's it. Moreover, RUDY is not the story of a man who accomplishes his goal in one season. It takes him years of hard work and disappointment. The effect of telling such a story is epic. By the time our hero finally takes the field, the emotional intensity of that moment is much greater than in most other sports movies I've seen. I am generally not really relieved or emotional when the underdog team finally wins the match-even if "We Are the Champions" is playing in the background, asking for our tears. But I wanted to see Rudy (Sean Astin) take the field so bad, I was extremely involved in the film.

Sean Astin does an incredible job in this role and I think it is by far one of the best performances of his career. In short, if you like sports movies in which the underdog triumphs in the end, you will love RUDY. It blows the genre out of the water. Instead of focusing solely "on the field," this film focuses more on the transformation of Rudy's character and the surrounding details and experiences of his life. RUDY is definitely worth owning in your collection.

13 of 15 found the following review helpful:


Rocky meets Rockne  Oct 31, 2000 By Mike Stone
Attention all cynics...

I'm bored with the Rocky story and all its progeny. I can't stand strained Jerry Goldsmith musical scoring. I'm not even really a football fan, and don't 'get' the whole Notre Dame mystique. And I've always thought Sean Astin to be the dullest of actors. So why, then, does the climax of 'Rudy' consistently set my tear ducts flowing, and produce a lump in my throat the size of a football?

Because it just throws obstacle after obstacle at this kid. Because it is all so improbable, and true. Because we see a series of stoic, hardened men (including characters played by Ned Beatty, Robert Prosky, Jason Miller, Chelcie Ross, and especially Charles S. Dutton -- all great) turned into enthusiastic innocents by this one boy. Because it just takes so damn long to get to the conclusion, that all that emotion has to go somewhere, doesn't it? And because Sean Astin actually does a credible job making you believe that his short, pudgy, untalented, unathletic, dyslexic yet determined Rudy could pull the whole thing off. This is not a great movie, but it does accomplish its goal. It does move you.

Also, check out the pre-"Swingers" Vince Vaughn and (an enormous) Jon Favreau.

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