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Without Limits (1998) is the second major film made about the life of long distances runner Steve Prefontaine, the other movie being Prefontaine (1997). Steve Prefontaine was a young runner from Oregon who despite his small size was able to out compete everyone in the U.S. He managed to make the U.S. Olympic team and went to the ill fated Munich Olympics (1972). His performances there was poor and it haunted him for the rest of his life.
Without Limits was produced by Tom Cruise who had planned on starring as the runner but didn't do it, as he felt he was too old. That's too bad as Cruise sort of looks like the real Steve Prefontaine and I think he could have done a good job. In fact I think he could have breathed some compassion and soul into the character on the screen.
The actor who ended up playing the runner was Billy Crudup, who didn't do a bad job but just didn't bring the character to life. Though the fault might lay with the director who choose a film style that glossed over a lot of the events by choosing to show them in a peripheral way. It's like we see the abbreviated version of what happens but never get emotionally involved.
I preferred 1997's Prefontaine starring Jared Leto as the runner. That film had a lot more heart and felt personal. Still Without Limits was a good watch and I enjoyed it.
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Without Limits (1998) is the second major film made about the life of long distances runner Steve Prefontaine, the other movie being Prefontaine (1997). Steve Prefontaine was a young runner from Oregon who despite his small size was able to out compete everyone in the U.S. He managed to make the U.S. Olympic team and went to the ill fated Munich Olympics (1972). His performances there was poor and it haunted him for the rest of his life.
Without Limits was produced by Tom Cruise who had planned on starring as the runner but didn't do it, as he felt he was too old. That's too bad as Cruise sort of looks like the real Steve Prefontaine and I think he could have done a good job. In fact I think he could have breathed some compassion and soul into the character on the screen.
The actor who ended up playing the runner was Billy Crudup, who didn't do a bad job but just didn't bring the character to life. Though the fault might lay with the director who choose a film style that glossed over a lot of the events by choosing to show them in a peripheral way. It's like we see the abbreviated version of what happens but never get emotionally involved.
I preferred 1997's Prefontaine starring Jared Leto as the runner. That film had a lot more heart and felt personal. Still Without Limits was a good watch and I enjoyed it.
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