Legendary (2010)

Thanks for the memories!

good back-story, and good acting

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

The acting in this movie is really good.

The movie starts off with a requisite underdog that comes in the form of Cal Chetley (Devon Graye), a 135-pound Oklahoma teenager with a love for science, glasses and a best friend who might as well be called Dweeby McArgyle. Enter bullies, stage left. Partly due to his tormentors and also because Cal is part of a wrestling dynasty - - both his estranged brother and his late father were mega-champs -- he decides that he, too, will hit the mat. As it turns out, and it always does, Cal isn't very talented. But if there's one clear takeaway from any good sports movie, it's that only one thing stands between a dismal athlete and a golden trophy; young grasshoppers just need a mentor. That would be the aforementioned brother, Mike, played by WWE superstar John Cena. Wrestling fans will no doubt flock to see this WWE film and won't be disappointed by Cena's entrance.The movie's main theme and message means well, but the acting performance and the structure of the script is sub-poor and shows lackadaisical effort. Using a sport's star in the movie to mask the poor acting and script failed. The movie is very predicable and cliché, and gives no cliffhangers or intriguing events. The actors looked awkward and unnatural. The movie gives no events to pull the viewers in, and new actors and a new structure is well needed to create a more meaningful and intense movie. Also, Not nearly cinematic enough or well-written enough to take that lazy of a step that so often separates "inspirational" and "hokey."his film is quite predictable, formulaic, and far from original, yet it is well- meaning, inspirational, and I actually sorta liked it. It's flawed enough to where I don't feel quite comfortable enough to give it an extra half star, but I did enjoy it, and think that there are a few scenes that are okay enough to watch. At the end, the actors, (including John Cena) show and have little acting experience, which shows up into the movie. The plot it self is poorly structured and entertaining, while trying to force a inspirational moral and theme into the movie; reselling in a sub- poor movie.

My family and I enjoyed this film from start to finish. We were previously unaware of John Cena and found him not only physically impressive to say the least, but he also enjoyable and talented as a actor. He took a closed off, damaged character an allowed us to watch a healing in progress. Patricia Clarkson and Danny Glover are always favorites and did not disappoint. In fact, everyone in the cast moved perfectly and convincingly through this movie. Even the camera was able to hold still in one position long enough for us to follow the action, a quality so very rare in recent films. We felt good when we started watching and even better at the end. A total win! I wish they made more movies with a story full of heart about people who care.

This story is about dealing with life. It has little to do with wrestling. The sport is just the glue that ties the story together. It's a simple story: there is a loss, no one really deals with loss and it breaks a family apart, there is long term misunderstanding, and a sport brings the remaining family together again.It's the kind of story that ends up on Lifetime, Oxygen, WE, or Hallmark channel any day of the week. However, it included wrestling and that limits it in the eyes of the public. The WWE Entertainment people were willing to take a risk and put it in the cinema. The previous amateur wrestling film was "Reversal" and it had to fight to get into the cinema without big backing.Without telling too much, younger brother Cal (Devon Graye) somehow decides to become a wrestler, following his older brother and father in the sport. He's in high school and he's thin. He's going to take on wrestlers who have been in the sport since they were four years old without training and what seems to be no interest in sports. That's possible, isn't it? I've photographed and known more amateur wrestling teams than most people in the U.S.A. have ever seen and I know that it happens, but it's not something that happens often and it doesn't end in success.The 135 pound slot has one wrestler and he's injured, so Cal has to step up. He loses, a lot, but with help from his older brother Mike and Mike's friend, he starts to win. He asks early about "reverse cradle", an advanced, risky wrestling move to finish a match and he employs it at the final match without success. Had he been an advanced wrestler, I could have believed it. If he had been heavier, I might have believed it. Why beanpole Cal wasn't flat on the mat doesn't matter because this is a human interest story, not a wrestling story.The characters were reasonably well played. Patricia Clarkson is generally believable as the mother, Sharon Chetley, though I find it difficult to believe she would call her son "Studly-do-right". John Cena comes across much better than I expected. I know how tough some people can be on the outside and he just showed that little glimmer of being fragile. Madeleine Martin, the girl(friend) next door was so annoying that I hope that the part was written that way. Danny Glover was good as an inspirational figure and voice of wisdom.For the masses, it's an odd introduction to amateur wrestling and for the wrestling community, it's a story that doesn't ring true. It's not a bad film but it skips around reality and doesn't really get to fantasy, either. If you're really interested in amateur wrestling, watch "Reversal" or even "Vision Quest".

Legendary, doesn't always mean that you come out on top and sometimes you do come out on top but sometimes you become a legend the momentum of a team sport can sometimes be a better reward rather than winning but not having respect for you team and winning you don't have people to celebrate with you. Plain and simple this move was amazing. I do not tend to watch movies over and over but I have seen it three times. Now I will tell you why, all families have mountains to claim.In this movie you see a family come back together for a good cause...FAMILY.. It shows you that anyone can come out on top of their goals. Plus if you live in Oklahoma (movie is about a kid following in his dad's and brother's shoes around the Eufaula, OK area) Sports fan's I know you will like it and for the non sports fan's there is a budding romance! Amazing GO SOONERS.....OU Rocks