One man dares to dream and will risk everything to make it a reality
Robert Zemeckis is a director who has made a lot of popular films. He was the man who directed Forrest Gump, Cast Away, Flight and the Back to the Future trilogy. He has found a way to add a special touch to every film he has ever been a part of and this new film helps that pattern live on. It is about an amazing true story that is beyond belief but over 40 years ago it actually happened. With stunning special effects and plenty of edge of your seat moments this is a film everyone needs to see.
The film takes audiences back to the 1970s in Paris, France. Here we meet Phillipe Petit (Joseph Gordon Levitt) who is a wire walker. He has spent much of his life practicing with people like Papa Rudy (Ben Kinglsey) and has had his share of successes and a few small failures. One day he sees an ad for a building that is being built in New York City called the Twin Towers. From the first moment he sees this picture he develops a dream, albeit a crazy one. He wants to set a wire between these towers and walk from one tower to the other one. It is dangerous, illegal and he could die instantly with just one wrong step. But he is determined to do it and this new film tells the story of how the dream began and the challenges Philippe had to face along the way. Will he find a way to walk on a wire between these large buildings? How will he find a way to build a wire that will be stable enough to walk on? And is this something he should even try to do? And what will happen if he dares to succeed in his task or worse yet what happens if he fails?
This is an amazing story. The message is that if you have a dream you must press on no matter how crazy or dangerous it may seem to others. It also shows if you are going to try something big you cannot do it alone. You will need the assistance of those you can count on and trust to be by your side through thick and thin, with these elements nothing is impossible. Philippe Petit was a visionary because he truly shows that anything is possible as long as you can imagine it. It is a movie everyone should see just to see what happens in the final scenes. Trust this writer when he says it is worth it and you will never see the ending coming.
The cast is a great blend of big stars and a few smaller actors. This makes for a cast that bring this film to colorful life. This writer heard that Joseph Gordon Levitt actually trained for 8 days with the real Philippe Petit how to walk on a high-wire. Joseph also had the chance to see the Twin Towers many years ago so he had a good image in his head what they looked like and this helped bring the final scenes to a plain that he could work on. But that is not all, Joseph also took the time to speak fluent French and made sure to perfect the right accent to make sure his portrayal of Philippe Petit was authentic. All of these things together make for one of his best roles yet and fans will not want to miss it.
Alan Silvestri does a stellar job with the soundtrack. Not only are there a bunch of songs from the 1970s but there are scores that put the audience right there with the rest of the people on screen. During the wire walking scenes the score was crafted to fit like a tight glove. His work helped lift this up from a possible boring biopic to something that is truly brillaint. It is score that you have to hear for yourself to appreciate its beauty and splendor. Trust me it is one of a kind and only Silvestri himself could have done this.
This movie deserves 9/10. It is such a great thrill ride and there are only a few rare scenes that are slow but this is needed to tell this tale the right way. Not once is the movie boring and there are a few times when it seems to stop taking itself seriously but this is only to add some good timed comedic dialogue that never comes off as ridiculous or stupid. Not only should men see this movie but kids can learn from it too. Whenever life wants to tell you something can’t be done, don’t give up. If you keep pushing and do your preparation the world is your oyster and no dream is too big or too unrealistic.
If you enjoy a good biopic this is one you really need to see. If you want to see an uplifting story this is the perfect film to pick to watch. Go out and see this film with the whole family when it comes out this Friday to your town.
Watch the jaw dropping trailer below: