Eddie the Eagle parents guide

Eddie the Eagle Parent Guide

Perhaps Eddie's greatest accomplishment is reminding the world that doing our personal best is a victory in its own right.

Overall B+

This film dramatizes the achievements of the British Olympic skier, Michael Edwards -- better known as Eddie the Eagle.

Release date February 26, 2016

Violence B
Sexual Content B-
Profanity B-
Substance Use C-

Why is Eddie the Eagle rated PG-13? The MPAA rated Eddie the Eagle PG-13 for some suggestive material, partial nudity and smoking.

Run Time: 106 minutes

Official Movie Site

Parent Movie Review

As a youngster, Michael “Eddie” Edwards wants only one thing from life—to compete in the Olympics. Of course many children have such dreams, but this little tike also has poor eyesight and bad knees. Yet this kid just won’t give up. Finally his leg brace comes off (although he keeps the thick glasses) and Eddie begins to search for a sport in which he can excel. After many failures with summertime activities, Eddie discovers skiing—and he’s pretty good. But he’s still not Olympic caliber. Putting his mind to work, Eddie discovers Britain hasn’t fielded a downhill ski team for decades and that means it’s a wide-open opportunity to qualify for the 1988 Olympic Games in Calgary, Canada.

Despite his parents’ mixed feelings, the now grown Eddie (Taron Egerton) “borrows” the family van and heads to a prominent ski jumping facility in Germany. Like a child arriving at a neighborhood playground, the determined duffer climbs up the takeoff ramp, perches himself atop the inrun and begins his speedy descent. All goes well from the smallish ramp, however when he moves onto the larger launch he crash lands, rolls and finds himself beaten up by the time he stops at the bottom.

Watching the spectacle from his snow-grooming machine is Bronson Peary (Hugh Jackman). Even though he’s angered at the Brit for tearing up his nicely smoothed runs, we aren’t surprised when the buff and handsome maintenance guy turns out to know a thing or two about competitive jumping—nor that he will eventually end up being Eddie’s mentor.

Eddie the Eagle is a fun movie that teens and older children will likely find engaging. However this script, based on a true story, does come with more than a few moguls that parents should be aware of. While he never admits it, Bronson is an alcoholic who sips from a flask that never leaves him. Inebriated in many scenes, his dependence on booze and cigarettes is an attempt to shield himself from past regrets. Mocking and bullying are also depicted, including a scene where Eddie, who is adamant about abstaining from alcohol, is coerced into getting drunk—a heartbreaking consequence follows. As well, the film contains unnecessary sexual innuendo and some profanities.

An underdog who is determined to take his dreams to the finish line, Eddie’s goal of entering the Olympics isn’t to win a medal. Instead it is to have a moment of glory that showcases his effort, and proves his many naysayers wrong. His enthusiasm and relentless pursuit is a great example for the many of us who aren’t gold medalists either. For me, Eddie’s greatest accomplishment is reminding the world that doing our personal best is a victory in its own right.

Directed by Dexter Fletcher. Starring Hugh Jackman, Taron Egerton, Christopher Walken . Running time: 106 minutes. Theatrical release February 26, 2016. Updated

Eddie the Eagle
Rating & Content Info

Why is Eddie the Eagle rated PG-13? Eddie the Eagle is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for some suggestive material, partial nudity and smoking.

Violence: A child endures mocking and bullying even into his young adulthood. Some name-calling and verbal stabbing occurs between characters. Athletic attempts often end in comedic disaster. Some bloody scrapes and bruises are shown. A drunken man engages in risky and reckless behavior. A man is punched in the face. Sporting accidents, especially crash landings while ski jumping, are frequently shown. Injuries are alluded to, broken fingers are shown, and a couple of skiers have to be carried off the hill by medical personnel and taken to a hospital. Officials use their position to try and block an athlete from competition.

Sexual Content: A character compares ski jumping to love making, and demonstrates what he means by making sexual sounds. An older woman makes somewhat-veiled sexual advances towards a naïve young man. Characters verbally refer to past sexual relationships. Norwegian athletes wear no clothes in a sauna and a locker room—no private body parts are shown. Some slang bathroom language is used.

Language: The script includes frequent mild profanities and terms of Deity used as expletives.

Alcohol / Drug Use: Characters frequently drink alcohol at bars and in social settings—one is an alcoholic that carries a flask and sometimes drinks to excess. A man drinks and drives. Smoking is frequently depicted.

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Eddie the Eagle Parents' Guide

Who mocks and bullies Eddie as a child? Does this verbal abuse quit when he becomes an adult? What affect does all the negative feedback have on the way Eddie sees himself? In what ways does it cripple him? In what ways does it propel him to keep trying? How does his parents’ reactions to his goals both help and hinder him? Have you ever had to deal with other people’s judgments of your abilities? How have those “labels” impacted your life?

Although their abilities are very different, Eddie and Bronson Peary both claim they know what it is like to be “written off”. Why? How does that feeling effect each of them? What do they do about it? Which of the two of them fights like a champion? What does it take for them to feel like their reputations have been redeemed?

Learn more about the real Michael Edwards (aka Eddie the Eagle).

News About "Eddie the Eagle"

From the Studio: The film details the inspiring exploits of Michael Edwards, better known as "Eddie the Eagle," the most famous ski jumper in British history. The film's portrayal of Edwards' never-say-die approach to the sport, celebrates the human spirit and resilience in the face of extraordinary odds and challenges. Taron Egerton, who made his feature film starring debut in Kingsman: The Secret Service, portrays Eddie the Eagle, and Hugh Jackman plays a ski jumping expert from Lake Placid who helps Eddie train for the Calgary Olympics.
Written by 20th Century Fox

Home Video

The most recent home video release of Eddie the Eagle movie is June 14, 2016. Here are some details…

Home Video Notes: Eddie the Eagle
Release Date: 14 June 2016
Eddie the Eagle releases to home video (Blu-ray/ DVD/Digital HD or DVD/Digital HD) with the following special features:
- Let The Games Begin: Soaring with Eddie the Eagle Documentary
- All or Nothing: The Hero’s Heart
- An Unlikely Friendship: Eddie & Peary
- Attitude is Altitude: Filming the Ski Jumps
- Still Gallery

Related home video titles:

Other movies about Olympic athletes include Chariots of Fire, Cool Runnings and Jim Thrope: All American. Another Brit (Paul Potts) pursues his impossible dream in the movie One Chance.

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