Customer Reviews

The Rocket

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Maurice "The Rocket" Richard was one of the best to ever play the game of hockey and probably the best French-Canadian to lace up the skates. In a part of Canada where hockey is practically a religion, this film pays tribute to one of their most exalted ice saints and it does so in an inspiring, accurate, honest and humble way.

First off, the movie is only available in French - with English subtitles. This may seem problematic or annoying at the onset, but as the film progresses this only makes one of the main messages more poignant. Richard fought, literally, for French rights. There was a lot of prejudice permeating the National Hockey League and society in that era and Richard was one of the strongest influences in changing this injustice.

He was not a charismatic man in terms of public rhetoric. He led by example - through action. He may not have even wanted this martyr role, but he recognised that he really had no choice. These are powerful messages and the movie does an excellent job emphasising this.

Roy Dupuis plays the role of the Rocket brilliantly. The physical likeness and mannerisms make the watcher believe in the performance. The rest of the cast is excellent, with real NHL hockey players taking on some roles and even Sean Avery playing the part of New York Ranger Bob Dill did a wonderful job portraying a player that certainly wasn't much off of his real character.

Other hockey players in the film include Ian Laperriere, Vincent Lacavalier, Stephane Quintal and Mike Ricci. Most of these are not just cameo appearances either. Hockey really must be one of the most difficult sports to "act" with the speed and intensity and The Rocket shines at making the scenes on the ice believable.

This movie embodies the persistence, determination, love and prejudice. Those are some weighty subjects to tackle in a film about a hockey player, but when the credits start rolling the viewer will know they were handled wonderfully. Rocket Richard was likely the best goal scorer of all time and it's only suiting that the film honouring him should score with the fierceness that made its namesake a household name.

"The Rocket" is based on the life and times of the Montreal Canadiens' great Maurice Richard. The film takes us through his early years as a working poor machinist struggling to enter the NHL. Nobody believes in him except for the Canadians coach who takes a chance on the "soft and injury-prone" french canadian. The movie also serves as a fine account of the post-world war 2 era in Canada and the deep divisions between english and french canadians during that time. Roy Dupuis gives a remarkable performance as the Rocket. Not overacted, but a subdued rendering of the introverted hockey icon. I can totally see why this guy is a huge star in Quebec. Watch "The Rocket" both for its historical account of the times and as a terrific piece of cinema.

Being French, I wasn't sure I'd be into a film about a NHL legend. After all, our sport here is definitely soccer. Was I wrong! Wonderful actors (all of them but Roy is really something else), great directing and photography, and what a storyline! Real life events do make brilliant scenarios.
In my opinion, a "must see".

The Rocket is best when it tells the story of Maurice Richard on the ice. There are some fantastically realistic recreations of great Rocket moments, complete with period lighting and historic snap shots. You could not have picked a better actor for the Richard role; Roy Dupuis is simply perfection, both on the ice and off. Stephen McHattie, as the hard nosed coach Dick Irvin, is also a joy to watch act (and boy oh boy, did Irvin ride Richard!) Not so for Rémy Girard, the otherwise always memorable actor, who's barber character is nothing more than a platitudinous plot device.

You see, the problem with this movie is that its sort of half of a movie. Or half of an interesting one. Why? Well, like another famous and contemporary athlete, Joe Louis, off the ice Maurice Richard isn't all that interesting or compelling. There is simply no fudging this.

What the movie tries to do, and you can't blame the writers given the oft retold popular cultural history, is link Richard's life with the "Quiet Revolution" and nationalism (and separatism) in Québec. This really doesn't wash, is explored in some pretty hammy vignettes, and is not true anyways. Actually, Québécois historians have argued that Richard's role in this movement has been grossly exaggerated over time, and while certainly news worthy (and entertaining in the "rear view mirror" of history) it just ain't what happened.

Which means that about half of this movie is a dud. And you can't watch the other half without it.

I bought this having heard from a friend that the film was very good. Being a hockey fan I ordered it immediately. I loved the movie. Not only were the acting and cinematography good, but the hockey itself was fantastic. The movie really tackles the issue of injustice for French Canadians. Also, the movie itself was very clean. Good for the whole family.

Maurice Richard is depicted perfectly by Roy Dupuis in this sports bio-pic, set and made in Montreal and other parts of Quebec. His humble beginnings, his matching humility throughout and the authentic feel of the era are well-defined.

In an age where French-Canadian hockey greats were targets for the Anglophone press, the mostly English-speaking hierarchy and brutal (and often ignored) sadism of other less-gifted players, Richard does his best to keep his anger in check. until I saw this film, I never knew how much humiliation was heaped on the man. i can see why he lashed out at that referee, leading to his suspension and causing rioting in his hockey-crazed home city.

The acting by all secondary characters is exemplary, especially coach Irvin and Maurice's wife. The hockey game scenes are well-choreographed and realistic.

all in all, a good slice of Canadian sports history and portrait of a self-effacing super-star, who could be considered the greatest offensive threat ever in the NHL, considering the obstacles before him.