Talk about a 90s comedy classic! Cool Runnings was released in 1993, and it is one of the first movies I remember going to see more than once in the theatre. It was right around this time that I was starting to go to the movies with my friends instead of my parents, and before this, I do not even think I had considered that I could go and see a movie more than once in the theatre.
Where to Watch Cool Runnings
Cool Runnings was released on October 1, 1993. You can stream the film from a digital platform such as Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV.
The Movie Review
Brought to us by Disney and directed by Jon Turtelaub, Cool Runnings, pardon the pun, took a while to get over the finishing line as this one had been in development for several years. This is a sports comedy, but it is a sports comedy with an absolute ton of heart. It is not so much the sport of bobsledding that is the main focus, but friendship, drive, commitment, and dare I even say brotherhood as well.
John Candy’s Memorable Role in Cool Runnings
What we have here is just a really fun movie! One of the most famous things that Cool Runnings is known for is that this was the last John Candy movie to be released while he was alive. Unfortunately for him, this was not to be his closing achievement, as a year later, the less than great Wagons East would be released, which I remember being a big deal as they used a lot of digital effects to finish the movie, as John Candy passed away during production.
Plot Summary: The Jamaican Bobsleigh Team
I think that it is fair to say that it is common knowledge that the plot of Cool Runnings is about the Jamaican bobsleigh team and their efforts to compete at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics. The idea that an island that never sees snow is going to have a team competing at the Winter Olympics is a lot of fun, but it is how we get there that really makes the movie.
Derice’s Dream and the Unlikely Team Formation
Our main character is a young man called Derice, and he dreams of representing Jamaica as a sprinter in the Olympics. While during a qualifying race, Derice is tripped up by another competitor called Junior, who also accidentally trips up Yul Brenner too! This caused all three to miss out on being part of the team for the Olympics!
Derice pleads his case to the head of the Jamaican sports committee, but he is having none of it. However, Derice notices a photo of his father, who was also a sprinter, with a man called Irv Blitzer. Turns out that Irv was an Olympic bobsledder, and he had the idea to use sprinters to push the sled, and he was trying to convince Derice’s father to do it! This fills Derice with hope, and he goes to track down Irv with the hope of finding out more about bobsledding.
A Coach with a Past
Irv is played by John Candy! Irv fell out of love with bobsledding after being caught cheating, and he tells Derice, along with his wacky friend Sanka, that he wants nothing to do with it. However, he eventually wears him down, and Irv agrees, due to him knowing Derice’s father. Desperate for a shot at Olympic glory, Yul and Junior join the team. Both of whom have their own motivations and troubles.
Training, Teamwork, and Laughs in the Cold
Once the team is together, we get some hilarious training sequences of them trying to get the hang of bobsledding, but also bonding as a team, not to forget, cold weather training too. The part where Sanka finds out that bobsledding happens on ice is hilarious. As I said, this movie has a ton of heart, and seeing them come together, become friends, and give it their best shot is just fantastic stuff.
A Timeless Comedy Classic That Still Delivers
Sure, a great deal of this story apparently has been embellished to make it a more entertaining movie, but entertaining is the key word here. I have watched this many times over the years, and I honestly think that it is a timeless classic, a movie that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. I am honestly surprised that Disney has so far resisted the temptation for an unnecessary remake or sequel!
