Prefontaine

This movie was brilliantly put together and the end result is phenomenal. Every scene in the movie is important to the overall end result and I didn't feel this movie was overly long at all and I don't understand those who said it was. The movie deals well with showing Pre's determination to be the best and the emotions of overcoming failure. I wanted to buy this on DVD only to find out they don't make it on DVD, and I couldn't understand why, this is an amazing film and you don't have to know who Prefontaine was to enjoy it, although you might appreciate it more.....

There has been much fascination with Steve Prefontaine, for his courage, his will-to-win, and for his far too early death. A man who was the ultimate competitor, denied his just due not only by the tragedy in Munich, but an even bigger tragedy on a roadway in Oregon. Such fascination led to 2 movies chronicling the life of Steve Prefontaine were made in the 1990's.

For first release, the battle of the PRE-bioflicks was won by this movie, and its release and luke-warm reception shelved the Robert Towne-directed ‘Without Limits' for more than a year.

Perhaps this story would have been better served as a Made-for-HBO film, where one-name titles like `Prefontaine' give stars like Matt Damon a chance for some good work, and media recognition.

This version, directed by Steve James of Hoop Dreams fame is very watchable, with strong support of Jared Leto (Prefontaine) by Lindsay Crouse, Ed O'Neill, Amy Locane, and R.Lee Ermey-excellent in the role of Pre's coach and mentor, Bill Bowerman, the man who subsequently founded Nike.

Maybe not an overly familiar story for the non-runners, this story needed to be told, once…and is told well here.

I was a grad student at the University of Oregon in the early seventies when Steve Prefontaine made his mark as a runner there. This film captures his life and times reasonably well, and Jared Leto's performance does a good job portraying the Steve Prefontaine the general public like me knew, though Leto has more of a preppy/Abercrombie & Fitch appearance than the somewhat craggier Prefontaine. Those who knew him then personally can make a better, further assessment. Despite the limitations of its budget (for example, they shot the film in 16mm--Super16 actually), it's one of the better sports films made and should have had a stronger theatrical run. If memory serves, the release also had a woefully limited marketing budget.

An athletic apparel store in Boston has a glass case which displays one of Steve Prefontaine's running singlets. It made me pause to see it there, an inanimate object which once clothed someone so highly animated. This film does a decent job of bringing life to that persona.

This is a great movie that tells a universal story...dream big, and when you do anything- give it all you've got. Steve Prefontaine, if this movie is accurate, was not only a great athlete, but he was also a great man. I read a few things about him on various websites, and it seems that he did quite a bit of charitable work in his short life, and he was indirectly responsible for great strides taken in improving the quality of amateur athletics, and the overall treatment of those athletes taking part in it. The movie is cast really well, and it goes a long way to improve my personal view of Jared Leto, who did a brilliant job here. He proves, with this film, that he has a lot more talent than he is given credit for...and this movie, tho no blockbuster by any lengths, is a great film to showcase that talent. The rest of the cast goes to build a solid movie that is crafted into a sort of documentary style film half of the time, and a straight-cut movie the rest of the time. It's a great story that can be used in any context, outside of sports altogether. Like I said, I know nothing about the sport itself, but Prefontaine's death was a tragedy anyway you look at it. No athlete to date can even get close to beating Steve's record, and that alone is amazing.

This is the real-life story of Oregon runner Steve Prefontaine who, despite physical imperfections, draws on inner strength of character, to set American track records, and race in the 1972 Munich Olympics. As a runner myself, I found this 1997 docudrama inspiring.

But "Prefontaine" is far more than a cinematic pep talk for runners. It's a character study of an extraordinary young man from an ordinary background, his personal relationships, and his date with destiny. It is a story that has lasting value.

The film's visuals and music effectively convey the look and sound of the early 70's. The acting is above average. Jared Leto is superb as Steve. Just as good is R. Lee Ermey as Steve's coach, the legendary Bill Bowerman, a man who found a way to make running shoes with the help of a waffle iron. Ed O'Neill, Breckin Meyer, and the lovely Amy Locane are good, in supporting roles.

Leto's acting, combined with a clever script, portrays Pre as gutsy, determined, intense, charismatic, vulnerable, at times reckless, self-absorbed, brash, and arrogant. One of my favorite segments of dialogue has Steve and his teammate Pat Tyson jogging along, and talking about the great runner Jim Ryun. Steve comments: "Forget Jim Ryun; he's done; I'm gonna be the first Steve Prefontaine", to which Pat responds: "It must be nice to want to be yourself".

Later, Pre frustratingly says to his girlfriend Nancy: "All of my life people have said to me: you're too small Pre; you're not fast enough Pre; give up your foolish dreams Steve."

Pre's story is told in another film: "Without Limits"; both now available on DVD, and both good, though I prefer this Steve James directed movie.

Often and rightly compared to other sports films, "Prefontaine" reminds me of a film one might not think of. Pre's life was similar in some ways to another notable person from an ordinary background, one who set out bravely on a personal quest, of sorts, and who, in the process, like Pre, made a powerful and lasting impression: Karen Silkwood.

Coincidentally, Pre's fate and Karen's fate were tragically similar, and only six months apart. In both "Prefontaine" and "Silkwood", the message to the rest of us ordinary mortals is: don't underestimate your life; do your best; and make each day count. You never know when "fate" may intervene.