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Another year, and another inspiring story of an unlikely sports hero who made his dreams come true against all odds.

And yet, once in a while, that familiar formula can be satisfying. With Invincible, it appears we have a winner.

Invincible is the true story of Vince Papale (played here by Mark Wahlberg) who, at 30 years of age, left behind his work as a substitute teacher and bartender for a public tryout for his beloved Philadelphia Eagles—and, against all odds, he made the team.

"Invincible is the latest in Disney's heartwarming line of true sports stories like Remember the Titans, Glory Road, and The Rookie," writes Todd Hertz (Christianity Today Movies). He calls it "a heartstrings-pulling, tear-jerking, inspiring, hopeful drama of guts and determination where people like us overcome big odds to set an example for all those around. … The movie reminds us why sports are so important; they inspire us because anyone can be a hero."

But Hertz also points out where the film stumbles short of complete victory. "While there is a great build and emotional payoff (hence my tearing up), the setup can feel forced and fabricated. … Instead of letting a story naturally develop, plot points are just stacked up on top of each other in some sort of connect-the-dots game of needed info. For instance, when Vince's wife leaves him, the very next scene introduces a very attractive blonde (Elizabeth Banks). It's not hard to guess where things will go from there."

David DiCerto (Catholic News Service) calls it "the kind of Cinderella sports movie too corny to believe if it weren't true. Director Ericson Core follows a generic underdog formula—think Rocky meets Rudy—but you'll find it hard not to cheer. … Ripping a page from the feel-good playbook of The Rookie and Miracle … the film owes much of its charm to the everyman charisma of Wahlberg's performance."

Christa Banister (Crosswalk) writes, "With an understated yet emotionally convincing performance that has the audience rooting for him all along, (not to mention the muscular physique he'd need to succeed), Wahlberg was a great choice for the lead role."

Marcus Yoars (Plugged In) says, "[D]on't let the familiar turf taint the positive messages in this gridiron go-round. … Barroom settings and a handful of content blips—including a kiss that apparently leads to more—draw a couple of flags, but it's obvious those behind the camera made a concerted effort to make this a movie fit for (most of) the whole family."

Mainstream critics are cheering—somewhat reluctantly, though, having been through so many similar films.

Thomas Rockwell's book How to Eat Fried Worms is a childhood favorite for me and many other book lovers.

But based on what I'm reading from religious-press critics of the film, I may steer clear of it entirely. The reviews suggest that writer-director Bob Dolman's movie adaptation, which comes to us from Walden Media, fills the story with unpleasantness, and changes the events at the conclusion, changing the meaning of the story altogether.

Camerin Courtney (Christianity Today Movies) can't even muster enough enthusiasm to give it two stars.

Courtney points out that the book is "a classic tale of friendship and boyhood fights." But the movie, well, it's "all about the worms. … Throughout this fifth-grade Fear Factor, there are scattered lessons on the ills of bullying, the benefit of being true to yourself, the joy of true friendship. But really, what boy is going to remember a moral when there's an exploding worm?"

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August (Web-only) 2006, Vol. 50