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Invincible is an American sports drama that takes place in Philadelphia during the ’70s when site shutdowns and job loss have led to regular protests. Based on a true story, the movie follows school teacher Vince Papale (played by Mark Wahlberg) after he loses his job. His wife, Sharon (played by Lola Glaudini) leaves him because of his inability to support her, leaving Papale desperate to find a new job. Later at a bar, he learns that the Eagles are looking for players, and his friends convince him to try out.
Directed by Ericson Corem, Invincible follows Papale’s fight to become a professional football player with the help of his coach, Dick Vermeil (played by Greg Kinnear). It also portrays his struggle with losing the life he had built with his wife and with the fear of beginning a new relationship with bartender Janet (played by Elizabeth Banks).
Written by Brad Gann, the film was released on August 25, 2006 to generally favorable reviews. If you plan to watch Invincible online, there’s a book written by Vince Papale that came out in sync with the film. “Invincible: My Journey from Fan to NFL Team Captain” describes the story in more detail and is known for being more accurate to the true events. Invincible streaming is now available online.
Here’s how to stream Invincible right now:
How to Stream ‘Invincible’ – Exclusively on Disney+
Invincible is one of the classic mid-2000s Disney sports movies that will be streaming exclusively on Disney’s new subscription streaming service, Disney+.
You can sign up for a 7-day free trial of Disney+ HERE, which will allow you to stream Invincible and hundreds of other movies and shows on your computer, phone, tablet, smart TV or streaming device. If you extend past the free trial, the service costs $6.99/month. You may also opt for this discount bundle of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ for $12.99/month.
- 1. Sign up for Disney+ here
- 2. Go to Disneyplus.com or download the Disney+ app on your device
- 3. Log in using your information
- 4. Search for “The Parent Trap”
- 5. Start streaming
Disney+ also boasts a vast library of Disney-owned movies and series — plus several new original series coming soon. The service includes unlimited downloads so you can watch offline whenever and wherever you want. The list of compatible devices and smart TVs includes iPads, Apple TV, Amazon devices, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Chromecast, Roku, PS4, and Xbox One.
‘Invincible’: Overview
Release Date: August 25, 2006
Creators: Brad Gann
Director: Ericson Corem
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Greg Kinnear, Elizabeth Banks, Kevin Conway, and Michael Rispoli
Rating: PG
Synopsis: A high school teacher loses his job and his wife on the same day, but an opportunity to try out for the NFL turns his life around.
How Long Is ‘Invincible’?
Invincible is 104 minutes or one hour and 45 minutes.
‘Invincible’ Plot
Philadelphia in the late ’70s is in shambles after several large sites were shut down, leaving workers out of a job. With nothing else to do, they join the picket lines and protest this decision together as they then go off and compete against each other for the few open jobs in the area. To make matters worse, Philadelphia Eagles fans have had to ensure a string of losing seasons, lowering spirits even further. The newly hired Eagle head coach Dick Vermeil (Kinnear), decides to shake things up by holding open tryouts for a spot on the 1976 team roster, launching excitement throughout the city.
Meanwhile, Vince Papale (Wahlberg) loses his part-time teaching job, angering his wife Sharon (Glaudini). He goes to his second job as a bartender, where he learns from a group of Eagles fans about open tryouts. They encourage Papale to tryout, but he doesn’t think much of it and heads home. Once home, he learns that his wife had abruptly moved out of their house, leaving him a note describing her disappointment over what a failure he had become. He expresses his anger and frustration by trashing the few belongings she left behind.
The next night at the bar, Papale meets the new bartender, Janet (Banks), who tells him she’s a Giants fan. His friends end up convincing him to go to the Eagle tryouts, even though he went to college on a track scholarship. Other than the football Papale plays with his friends at a local sandlot, he has no experience. The tryouts are at Veterans Stadium, where hundreds of local residents are there to give it a shot. Papale does well during the workout, impressing the new head coach, Vermeil. Vermeil invites him to training camp, and Papale accepts, to the excitement of his friends.
Training camp with the Eagles is tough, and the other players on the team don’t make it easy for Papale. He takes Janet out on a date, but he’s hesitant to start a relationship as he wants to focus on training. When he brings this up to Janet, she says she didn’t know it was a date. Training camp comes to an end, and the open spot on the Eagles is between Papale and a veteran. After some reluctance from his assistant coach, Vermeil chooses Papale, and he’s officially on the team.
The Eagles go on to lose all six preseason games as well as their regular season-opener against the Dallas Cowboys, where Papale doesn’t play well. This leads to fan and media pressure to fall on both his and Vermeil’s shoulders. Feeling dejected, Papale goes to the sandlot to watch some guys play football when he’s back in Philadelphia. They invite him to play, but he declines, choosing to watch instead. After it begins to downpour, however, he decides to get in on the game and remembers that football used to be fun. On his way home, he runs into Janet, and the two intensely embrace.
Papale’s next game is the home opener against the New York Giants. Janet shows up to the game in a Giants jersey angering Eagles fans in the stands. In the lockerroom, Papale is looking at the note left to him by his wife, reminding himself why he’s there. The game against the Giants is up and down for the Eagles, but they manage to win after Papale recovers a fumble and scores a touchdown. It’s the first win of his career, and fans go crazy. The films ending credits highlight Papale’s career with the Eagles. He plays for them for three seasons, and Vermeil eventually turns the team into winners and gets them to Super Bowl XV. Papale and Janet end up getting married.
‘Invincible’ Cast
This sports-themed drama has some big names in the film’s starring roles as well as some familiar faces you may recognize playing smaller parts.
MARK WAHLBERG as VINCE PAPALE
Man of all trades, Mark Wahlberg, portrays the main character, Vince Papale, who becomes a professional football player on a whim after his wife leaves him. Wahlberg has lent a hand in most areas of entertainment but is best known recently for his acting. He has appeared in films like The Departed, Daddy’s Home, Ted, Instant Family, and Broken City. Wahlberg also has a reality television show with his family called The Whalbergers, which gives viewers an inside look at how they run their burger chain.
GREG KINNEAR as DICK VERMEIL
Actor Greg Kinnear portrays the Philadelphia Eagles’ new head coach, Dick Vermeil. Kinnear is best known for his roles in Little Miss Sunshine, As Good As It Gets, and You’ve Got Mail. He has also appeared in dozens of films and television shows, including The Twilight Zone, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and House of Cards.
ELIZABETH BANKS as JANET
Actor and producer Elizabeth Banks appears in this film as Janet, Papale’s romantic interest, and future wife. Banks is best known for her roles in the Wet Hot American Summer, Hunger Games, and Pitch Perfect franchises. She has also appeared in Modern Family, 30 Rock, and Family Guy.
‘Invincible’ Songs and Soundtrack
When you stream Invincible online, you may also want to stream the soundtrack. The album is reminiscent of the ’70s, and fans of the movie rave about the soundtrack as well. It contains 13 tracks with songs performed by artists such as Jim Croce, Ace, Canned Heat, Ted Nugent, and Rod Stewart. While the album wasn’t nominated for any awards, it has a 4.2 out of 5 stars on Amazon.
‘Invincible’ at the Box Office
In its opening weekend, Invincible earned over $17 million in the United States. The film went on to earn $58.5 million, which is considered a success with a $30 million budget.
‘Invincible’ Reviews – What the Critics Said
Critic reviews for Invincible are generally positive, earning the film a 72 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Most critics found it to be a heartwarming story that, while not groundbreaking, will still entertain. Those who left the film unfavorable reviews felt Disney strayed too far from the truth when telling Vince Papale’s story.
Where ‘Invincible’ Fits in the Disney Movie Pantheon
Invincible is another one of Disney’s attempts at creating an emotional sports drama. While it didn’t bring in nearly as much success as some of their other films, this movie still makes it onto most lists of Disney’s best sports-themed films.
‘Invincible’ Trailer
‘Invincible’ Trivia: 5 Fast Facts
Before you watch Invincible online, learn some facts about how Vince Papale really went from a bartender and part-time teacher to playing for the NFL.
1. Vince Papale Had More Football Experience Than The Movie Portrayed
While Mark Wahlberg’s version of Vince Papale earned most of his football skills playing with his friends at the local sandlot, the real Papale had been playing for years. He was in the Delaware County Rough Touch League in the late ’60s before he went on to play semi-pro with the Aston Green Knights of the Seaboard Football League. Papale then played two seasons with the Philadelphia Bell of the World Football League, so it’s safe to say that his successful tryout for the Philadelphia Eagles wasn’t a fluke.
2. The Film’s Love Story Was Very Different In Real Life
While Vince Papale’s wife did move out and leave him a note similar to the one seen in the movie, this actually happened in 1971. That’s five years before he joined the Philadelphia Eagles. After divorcing his first wife, he met Sandy. The two dated and married during the movie’s time frame, but it’s not depicted. Papale didn’t meet his third wife, Janet, until after his NFL career ended, and he had divorced his second wife.
3. The Bell Team Was Invited To Tryout For the Philadelphia Eagles
Vince Papale, as well as several of his teammates on the Philadelphia Bell team, were sent invitations to try out for the Philadelphia Eagles. The movie used footage from his open tryout for the Bell roster as a model to create the scene for the Eagles tryouts.
4. Vince Papale Was Never Fired
It’s true that he was once a teacher, but Vince Papale wasn’t laid off. He quick in 1974 to try out for the Philadelphia Bell, and he successfully made the roster. Papale also didn’t work as a bartender until after he played with them for two seasons.
5. The Game Against The Giants Didn’t Happen The Way The Movie Depicts
When the Philadelphia Eagles played that game against the New York Giants, it was far from a close game, as depicted in the film. The Eagles won the game easily as the Giants didn’t score until the end of the game. Disney also embellished Papale’s touchdown a bit. While he did recover a fumble and run into the endzone, his touchdown didn’t count. Papale actually never scored a regular-season touchdown during his time in the NFL.
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