"Cool Runnings" is a perfectly enjoyable movie from the Mouse, until that ending; which hits me squarely in the chest. But I'll get to that in a second.This is sports movie bursting with pluck; you couldn't ask for more of an underdog than Jamaica for a bobsled team. Trivia has it that the studio was looking for high-priced talent to headline this movie (Eddie Murphy, Denzel), but lesser-knowns was absolutely the way to go. the team's got chemistry and they personify the unyielding optimism this story needs. And John Candy brings his A-game in a dramatic role and really gives the movie ballast. There's honestly no better word for this than likable. SPOILERSNow to address the big finale. Back when this came out, I'd sat through, say, three-quarters of it on two occasions (I can't remember what prevented me from finishing the tape, but it wasn't for lack of interest). So, for years, it lingered in my brain as a spirited Disney sports movie. and when I finally got around to finishing it . . . *THAT*'s how it ends? It's just an overwhelming mixture of painful and heroic and that's what stays in my mind as an adult. This belongs right up there with "Miracle". It's a great movie.8/10

What a funny and inspirational little movie this is. At times, director Jon Turteltaub's film seems almost too good to be true, because it isn't exactly true. While it is based on a true story, the film is heavily fictionalized and most of the characters were created by the scriptwriter. Still, the film is a nice portrait of a quite extraordinary event in sports history."Cool Runnings" is the story of a Jamaican runner named Derice (Leon) who wishes to follow in his father's footsteps and run the 100 meter dash at the Olympics. An unfortunate event keeps him from qualifying at the trials, so he hunts down bobsledding coach Irv Blitzer (John Candy) to help him form the first Jamaican bobsled team. After recruiting best friend Sanka (Doug E. Doug) and some fellow Olympic runners (Rawle Lewis and Malik Yoba), the team takes on the Winter Olympics world, including a hard-nosed Olympic Alliance, to prove the world wrong and show that they belong.The film is not extraordinary in any way, but it can make you feel emotions immensely. After watching the film numerous times, I still chuckle at Sanka's little jokes and goofiness, largely because of an eccentric performance from Doug E. Doug. He does some over-the-top acting in a good way, Leon does some over-the-top acting in a not-so- good way. His portrayal of the leader of this squad is a little too forced, but we still believe in him because he is so determined to win. John Candy was an excellent choice to play Irv. He begins as an impolite bookie and turns into quite a brilliant coach who cares about his guys. He even gives a speech to the Alliance that is intense and surprisingly not very cliché. The film doesn't take any risks in the editing, and has a number of scenes that feel unnecessary, but the story usually covers it up just enough to keep it from being too much of a distraction. It's nice to see a film focus on a country like Jamaica. The accents may be a little overdone at times, and some things might be a little stereotypical, but the culture and reggae soundtrack and score by Hans Zimmer is relieving while enjoying the movie. It's all brought together by no other than Sanka, who at one point reminds Derice of who they are and where they come from. He says, "If we walk Jamaican, talk Jamaican, and is Jamaican, then we sure as hell better bobsled Jamaican." This comes after Derice continuously idolizes the Swiss team, and Doug's delivery is perfect and heartfelt.There is a point in the film where the team is huddling up for their final run, and they shout "Respect!" I love this little bit because it encapsulates the main theme of the film. This story isn't about these guys trying to win the gold or even the silver or bronze. It's about their struggles to gain respect for themselves and for their country. This drive makes the film so riveting and the final scene can send chills down your spine even after watching it for the tenth or fifteenth time. "Cool Runnings" is not the most outstanding sports film, but it's right up there with "Rocky" and "Hoosiers" in terms of having the most heart. It's nearly impossible to not laugh and cheer when watching this story unfold, and there is nothing wrong with that.

We loved the film. Favourite phrase : "You dead, man?".We liked the sport, the courage and pride of the bobsledders.The film is very funny, Sanka is funny with his egg.Favourite character : Sanka. The film is very funny, Sanka is funny with his egg.Favourite phrase : "You dead, man?".We loved the music. We loved the film. We liked Jamaica and Canada.The team spirit is very important. Favourite character : Sanka.We liked Jamaica and Canada. We liked the sport, the courage and pride of the bobsledders.The 5A class in Fréjus

Top casting, top acting, top script, photography, background musical score & direction.With established comedy actor John Candy(Uncle Buck, Planes Trains and Automobiles) and a solid supporting cast which includes Leon and Doug E. Doug.This film is loosely based on the true story of the Jamaica national bobsled team's debut in the bobsleigh competition of the 1988 Winter Olympics in Canada.Plot: Irving "Irv" Blitzer was an American bobsled two time Gold Medalist at the 1968 Winter Olympics who finished first in two events again during the 1972 Winter Olympics but was disqualified from the latter for cheating and retired in disgrace to Jamaica, where he leads an impoverished life as a bookie. Irving is approached by two Jamaican athletes: top 100m runner Derice Bannock, who failed to qualify for the 1988 Summer Olympics when another opponent tripped him at the trials, and Sanka Coffie, a champion push cart racer.The athletes wish to use Irving's previous experience as a Coach in order to compete in the 1988 Winter Olympics as bobsledders. Irving had been good friends with Derice's father, Ben, a former sprinter whom Irving had tried to recruit for the bobsled team years ago, who is presumed to be deceased. Yul Brenner, another runner who was tripped at the qualifier, joins the team as does as Junior Bevil, the runner who tripped Yul and Derice. Eventually Irving is convinced to coach the team.The four try to find various ways to earn money to get in the Olympics; singing on the street, arm wrestling, and holding a kissing booth, but all fail. Junior, however, sells his car, which gets the team the money that they need.In Calgary, Irving manages to acquire an old practice sled from the American team, as the Jamaicans have never been in an actual bobsled. The Jamaicans are looked down upon by other countries, in particular the East German team whose arrogant leader, Josef, tells them to go home, resulting in a bar fight. The team resolves to view the contest more seriously, continuing to train and improve their technique. They qualify for the finals, but are briefly disqualified. At the primary judge meeting, Irving immediately confronts his former coach from the '72 Olympic Winter Games Kurt Hemphill, now a primary judge of the '88 Olympic Winter Games, for disqualifying the Jamaicans for his mistake. He confesses that he made the biggest mistake in his life by cheating by hiding weights underneath the sled to make it run faster. Irving's 1972 Gold Medals were revoked and he embarrassed his country with the scandal. He says that if Hemphill wants revenge, just punish him, not his team. He begs Hemphill to let the Jamaicans qualify and represent their country in the Olympics. Later, the judges overturn their decision and the Jamaicans are back in.The Jamaicans' first day on the track results in more embarrassment and a last place finish. Sanka convinces Derice to stop copying qualities of the Swiss team. Once the team develops their own style, the second day proves better; the Jamaican team finishes with a fast time which puts them in eighth position. Later, Irving tells Derice the truth about his past and convinces him to think of himself as a champion even if he doesn't win the gold, saying, "A gold medal is nice, but if you're not enough without one, you'll never be enough with one." For the first half of the final day's race it looks as though they will break the world bobsled speed record, until tragedy strikes: their sled, due to one of the blades falling off, flips on its side coming out of a turn towards the end of their run, leaving them meters short of the finish line. However, the team lifts the sled over their shoulders and walks across the finish line to rousing applause from spectators, including Josef, Hempill, and Junior's father. The team, at the end, feels accomplished enough to return in four years to the next winter Olympics. A brief epilogue states the team returned to Jamaica as heroes and upon their return to the Winter Olympics four years later, they were treated as equals.Completely unlike the story in the film, the Jamaican team was not in conflict with any of the other international bobsledding teams. Other teams were, in fact, supportive of the Jamaican team. One of the other teams even lent the Jamaican team a backup sled so they could qualify.The bobsled competition in the film consists of three individual runs, whereas in reality the Olympic bobsled competition is two runs a day held over a two day period.In the film, the Jamaicans are on world record pace during the final run of the competition when their sled crashes. They emerge from the sled and carry it across the finish line. In real life, however, the crash occurred before the finals (eliminating the Jamaicans) and Jamaica was not on a world record pace. However, real-life footage of the crash was used in the film. After the crash, the team walked next to their sled as track officials slid it down the track. They received sporadic applause, but not a rhythmic slow clap as in the movie Verdict: A MUST BUY FILM THE WHOLE FAMILY WILL ENJOY.