Cool Runnings is a family, laugh out loud, comedy that most people will
enjoy. It was released back in October 1993 and directed by Jon Turteltaub from
New York City. Over the years, he has directed several films for Walt Disney
Studios including the movies Cool Runnings, Ninjas, While you were sleeping and
Instinct.
Cool Runnings is based on the true story of the national Jamaican
bobsleigh team’s debut in the bobsled competition at the 1998 Winter Olympics
in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Jamaicans were probably the most unlikely
competitors in this event. The team was made up of a wide-ranging group of
althletes. At the time Derice was one of the best 100m runners in Jamaica who
had failed to qualify for the Olympics when another Jamaican athlete known as
Junior managed to trip up Derice and another competitor in a qualifying race. Junior,
Derice and his best friend, Sanka , who also happens to be a champion push cart
racer, go hunting for the help of
Irv, an old and disgraced Canadian bobsleigh coach, who had tried and failed to
recruit Jamaican sprinters (including Derice’s dad) to the bobsleigh team a
number of years before. The new and unusual bobsleigh team travel to Canada to
pursue their dream of being the first ever Jamaican bobsleigh team. None of
them have ever even seen snow., let alone been in a bobsled.
The movie stars, John Candy who is famous for his role in Uncle Buck, Leon
Robinson, Rawle D. Lewi, Malik
Yoba and Doug E. Doug star in the movie.
The movie had a budget of 14 million dollars and the box office produced
154.9 million dollars which was an unexpected and incredible success. The film
was distributed by Buena Vista Pictures.
There are so many reasons why Cool Runnings is the film I have watched
too many times to count and will continue watching. First, it has the most upbeat soundtrack that you could ever
imagine., Stir it up by Bob Marley, I can see clearly now by Jimmy Cliff and
Sweet Jamaica written by Patrick
Barrett and Garnett Smith. It is just one of those feel good film that keeps
you smiling. Having grown up in the Caribbean myself I think the laid back way
of life this group of guys enjoy in Jamaica is a great thing to see. They live
in the most idyllic location. Sanka is a push cart racer and all their family and friends
are close and supportive throughout the film that you cannot help but envy
what they have or at least I can’t! My favorite part of the movie would have to
be when Sanka discovers that bob sleighing is a winter sports that involves
ice!
The film never disappoints and in my experience keeps all family
members engaged and laughing till
the very end. The film was shot in Jamaica and at the actual Olympic venues in Calgary where the events took place .
I am usually very poor at remembering quotes from films, song lyrics however
Cool Runnings is the exception to
that rule, it’s the only film which I could confidently say I can quote line by
line. I can also play out most of
the movie in my head and that for me says something about how great and
memorable this film really is. I could not recommend it enough if you haven’t
seen it then you must do soon.
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