'Invincible' fumbles the ball

Underdog sports movies are a dime a dozen in Hollywood. While some are better than others, they almost always contain the same uplifting scenario: The unlikely team or individual showing us that if you stay true to your dreams and work hard, sometimes the impossible can happen. In recent years, Disney has made an art of this formula with such solid fare as "Remember the Titans," "The Rookie" and "Miracle," all well-made and well-acted films that went beyond the standard Cinderella sports story. Their latest release in this genre, "Invincible" is mostly a continuation of that success despite clinging to some of the usual clichés. \n"Invincible" is the true story of Vince Papale (Mark Wahlberg), a 30-year-old bartender living in economically downtrodden South Philadelphia, circa 1976. The film's opening has Vince falling on hard times, losing his second job as a schoolteacher and seeing his wife of five years leave him, claiming that he will never amount to anything. The one thing that Vince and his buddies have to keep them going is the Eagles, a lousy excuse for a pro football team struggling so much that their new coach, Dick Vermeil (Greg Kinnear) decides to extend an open tryout for the team to the whole city. It's here that Vince gets his chance to prove himself, while in the meantime, giving hope to a city and neighborhood that greatly needs it.\n"Invincible's" real strength lies in the way it portrays South Philly and its inhabitants. The shots of the tough streets of Philadelphia can't help but remind you of the ultimate underdog movie, "Rocky," a film that essentially shares "Invincible's" setting. Unemployment, labor strikes and Vietnam have all had their effect on Vince and his friends, giving the non-sports segments of the movie a gritty and heartfelt tone. One scene has Vince's father persuading his son to not attend the tryout, saying that he's not sure how much more failure Vince will be able to take. In the end, Vince is only able to really succeed when he starts to realize the responsibility he has to those who have so readily rallied around him. \nWahlberg, an underdog actor if there ever was one, plays Papale aptly but minimally, with the script not really allowing us to know more about Vince beyond his resolve, determination and loyalty. Kinnear is also excellent as the tough but fair Vermeil, long known as one of the NFL's most compassionate coaches. Other standouts are Michael Rispoli and Michael Kelly as Vince's genuine and supportive working-class friends, and Kevin Conway as Vince's proud father.\nWhile the film gets bogged down in a somewhat forced romantic storyline and has a resolution that is inevitably predictable, "Invincible" succeeds in showing us what a uniting and powerful force that sports can be. Trivial or not, following sports is something that is important in many people's lives. In one scene Vince's father tells Vince how the Eagles 1948 NFL Championship got him through 30 years of his job at the factory. Those kind of sentiments are undoubtedly still echoed by fans about their respective teams in cities and town across America.