Cool Runnings [G]

When Derice misses out on his chance to run for Jamaica in the Olympics, he is determined to find another way to get there to represent his country. Upon learning that his famous father was once approached by an Olympic bobsledder, he tracks down this bobsledder to try and convince him to coach the first Jamaican bobsled team. There’s just one question he wants answered: what’s a bobsled?

I first saw this film when I was in primary school on a bus trip home from Canberra. And I fell in love with it then and there. Cool Runnings is an inspiring and heart-warming story filled with loveable characters and backed up by a killer funny script. Almost twenty years after watching it on that bus, I’m still laughing, tearing up and quoting along with this film. A family classic!

The tiny country of Jamaica holds some determined people, but none so determined as Derice Bannock. Son of a famous Olympic sprinter, Derice has trained his whole life for the chance to represent his country and run in the Olympics. But when the day finally comes for him to achieve his dream, he gets tripped during the race and misses out on his chance to make his country proud. After a futile attempt to have the race re-run, Derice learns that, years ago, his father was approached by an Olympic bobsledder who tried to persuade him to switch sports. Upon hearing this, Derice decides that he will represent his country by being captain of the first Jamaican bobsled team. What Derice doesn’t count on is how hard it’s going to be to convince the coach, create a team, learn how to bobsled, and raise the money they need to get to Canada. And after all this is accomplished, things are only going to get colder.

As I mentioned before, this movie has an incredibly funny script and it wouldn’t be right if I, being a compulsive film-quoter, did not draw special attention to it. Some of the jokes and punch lines are downright hysterical, most of them being provided by Sanka, the film’s comic relief. There is this one scene between Derice and Sanka where Derice is trying to convince Sanka to join the team: 

Sanka – “The key elements for a successful sled team are a steady driver and three strong runners to push off down the ice… ICE? ICE!” 

Derice – “Well it’s kind of a winter sport you know.” 

Sanka – “You mean winter as in ICE!?” 

Derice – “Maybe.” 

Sanka – “You mean winter as in igloos and Eskimos and penguins and ICE!?” 

Derice – “Possibly.” 

Sanka – “See ya.” 

It’s a film where the delivery of the lines plays a major part in getting the laugh from the audience. The tone and timing in this film is spot on. 

Derice – “Sanka, you dead?” 

Sanka – “Ya man.” 

And underneath all the physical comedy and hysterical punch lines, the film does have a powerful and inspirational message about having an impossible dream and overcoming the odds to achieve it. With everyone, competitors and observers alike, feeling that the Jamaicans have no place in Canada, Derice and his team are really feeling the cold. But after one heroic and tear-jerking action (I won’t say anything else or I might spoil the film), they overcome the racial barrier and become equals. It’s an amazing and inspirational story about determination, confidence, and believing in yourself. Absolutely beautiful. Starring Leon, Doug E. Doug, Rawle D. Lewis, Malik Yoba, and John Candy, Cool Runnings is a wonderfully funny and heart-warming film for the whole family, guaranteed to have you laughing, crying, cheering, and quoting along. Like Star Wars and The Goonies this film has no expiration date.