This is a great, great movie. Whether or not you are a hydroplane fan, this movie inspires every small town in America that you can come together as a community to accomplish great things. Jim C. even took less $ to finish this movie and it took nearly 3 1/2 years to find the financing to release it...it was WELL worth the wait. I highly recommend buying/renting this movie, you will not be disappointed. One note that could be considered an "easter egg." If you are a hydroplane fan and watch the DVD extras, you'll notice a comment that Jim C. makes about the death of a hydroplane legend. I believe he is misquoted and was trying to say Bill Muncey. Something for them to consider the next time they release this DVD. Regardless, the movie is one of the best films I have seen in a long, long time. Perfect actors were chosen for their roles, and the setting and story are wonderful for that small town, good ole' American tale.Best,James

I enjoyed the film, yes it is a bit hokey in places and the Bindleys have fudged some of the facts but you feel good walking out of the theater. A great family movie, it was a lot of fun. A lot of small-town humor, but you get the feeling of the mid west in the early '70's was more like the 1950's.The race scenes were very well done considering they were using about three or four boats and repainted them a lot. Great to hear the Merlins and Allisons doing their thing. The actual boats used in the movie are in the race boat museum in Seattle.For the fact nit-pickers, Harry Volpi lived in Reno, Nevada.

This is, to my knowledge, the only feature film ever to be made about professional boat racing. And it tells what is probably the most compelling story the sport has ever produced: how the little river town of Madison, Indiana, came to host the 1971 APBA Gold Cup race (the sport's equivalent of the Indy 500) and how driver Jim McCormick struggled to lead Madison's community-owned racing boat, the Miss Madison, into the race.As a sports movie, "Madison" feels fairly similar to the Disney baseball movie, "The Rookie", which came out a few years ago. It places the sports story squarely within the context of family life, and its fundamental message is that of the value of community--especially small-town communities like Madison. (Hoosier rocker John "Small Town" Mellencamp even provides the narration for the movie.) Since this is a story about small-town underdogs taking on the big city favorites, it resembles other Indiana sports movies in many ways--"Breaking Away", "Rudy", "Hoosiers", etc. Its storyline is not really unique in that respect. But the movie is reasonably well done, and it really pulls you into the excitement of boat racing in the final sequence, through some really nice cinematography.I guess I can't help but feel like there was a missed opportunity here, though. It is unlikely that there will ever be another movie made about professional boat racing, so it would have been nice if "Madison" could have taught us more about what makes the people who are involved in the sport tick. There is one interesting comment made towards the end of the film about how "only someone who's raced boats can understand why so many men have given their lives for the sport." There was a lot behind that statement, I think--especially when made in reference to a sport which has such a notoriously dangerous reputation as boat racing. I just wish I could have come away from this movie with an even better understanding of where it came from.Besides that...this is a nice little movie, and a fine tribute to Jim McCormick and the people of Madison. Go ahead and take your kids to it, and don't forget to stick around for the final credits...

"Madison" is wholesome, family entertainment. It's an all American movie. Jim Caviezel does a great job portraying Jim McCormick as determined and dedicated, but always a gentleman. Jake Lloyd (Mike McCormick) watches everything his Dad does, and Dad uses that as opportunities to teach his son. Every little boy would like to have this type of relationship with his Dad.The townspeople get behind the boat and work hard to "make it happen". This movie reminds us all of a time when life was a little slower and a little simpler. The daily challenges of everyday life are played out well. Take your kid's, make it a family night out. Don't miss this movie, you'll cheer at the end.