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Special Features
Theatrical Trailer
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Based on an improbable but true story, Cool Runnings concerns the Jamaican bobsled team that competed in the 1988 Winter Olympics. Director Jon Turteltaub (Phenomenon) does a fine job with both the absurdity of the situation (the athletes had never even seen snow) and the passion behind it (their desire to compete and win). John Candy, in one of his last roles, is touching as a disgraced coach who seizes the opportunity to work with the Jamaicans as a chance for redemption. The bobsled scenes look good, and the races are exciting. The climax, which is entirely unexpected, takes the film to a wholly different level, even if events in the story don't quite match the facts. --Tom Keogh
Product Description
The filmmakers traveled to Jamaica for the primary filming and shot the Winter Olympics scenes in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
43 of 44 people found the following review helpful
By Liz
Format:VHS Tape
Everytime I watch Cool Runnings, I still feel the magic and excitement of the first time I watched it. This movie is exceptional. Everything about it works.
The acting is powerful, the story is both exciting and moving, the comedy is fresh and enjoyable, and the soundtrack is perfectly suited to support the mood of the movie.
Cool Runnings is a perfect family film. People of all ages will be drawn to it and enjoy cheering for the Jamaican Bobsled team. There is some mild use of profanity, but it can be overlooked in favor of the moving story, and the morals that children will pick up along with it. Cool Runnings shows the value of pride, tolerance, and persistance.
Throughout the course of the movie we see the team prove to the world through their persistance that they are just as good as any other team, regardless of where they come from. They learn to become a team, learn to take pride in their culture, and do a lot of self discovery.
This movie is one of the few that is sure to touch you and to uplift your spirit.
The acting is powerful, the story is both exciting and moving, the comedy is fresh and enjoyable, and the soundtrack is perfectly suited to support the mood of the movie.
Cool Runnings is a perfect family film. People of all ages will be drawn to it and enjoy cheering for the Jamaican Bobsled team. There is some mild use of profanity, but it can be overlooked in favor of the moving story, and the morals that children will pick up along with it. Cool Runnings shows the value of pride, tolerance, and persistance.
Throughout the course of the movie we see the team prove to the world through their persistance that they are just as good as any other team, regardless of where they come from. They learn to become a team, learn to take pride in their culture, and do a lot of self discovery.
This movie is one of the few that is sure to touch you and to uplift your spirit.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Funny, heartwarming...truly one of my all time favorite films...
September 28, 2006
By Damian Gunn
Format:DVD
`Cool Runnings' is one of those movies I can watch over and over again and never get sick of it. Based on a true story that is both touching and inspirational, Jon Turteltaub does a magnificent job of infusing enough humor and wit into this script to make it one of the most entertaining movies I've ever seen. The story is about a young group of Jamaicans who are vying for a way to the Olympics. Derice Bannock (Leon) has dreamed of running in the Olympics all his life. His father was a famous Olympic runner and he dreamed of doing the same. Junior Bevil (Lewis) lives under the strict watch of his wealthy father who humors Junior's fantasy about running in the Olympics but doesn't wholeheartedly support it. And then we have Yul Brenner (Yoba) who lacks a good education but makes up for that with brute strength and arrogance. On the day of the tryouts Junior takes a fall and trips up Yul and Derice ending all of their chances to make it to the Olympics.
That is until they meet Irving Blitzer (Candy), an ex-bobsledder who knew Derice's father when they were in the Olympics together. Irving had always believed that runners would make the best Bobsled team and now he had the opportunity to try that out. With the help of Sanka Coffie (Doug E. Doug) they form the first Jamaican Bobsled team and head off to Canada to compete.
They are met with serious scrutiny, not only because they are Jamaican but also because their coach, Irv, is hated among the Olympic community. Irving was disqualified back in his Olympic days for hiding weights in the front of a sled to make it go faster, thus disqualifying, and humiliating his country, his teammates and his coach. Thus, they don't like him very much and because of that the Jamaicans have to work extra hard to make an impression.... Read more ›
That is until they meet Irving Blitzer (Candy), an ex-bobsledder who knew Derice's father when they were in the Olympics together. Irving had always believed that runners would make the best Bobsled team and now he had the opportunity to try that out. With the help of Sanka Coffie (Doug E. Doug) they form the first Jamaican Bobsled team and head off to Canada to compete.
They are met with serious scrutiny, not only because they are Jamaican but also because their coach, Irv, is hated among the Olympic community. Irving was disqualified back in his Olympic days for hiding weights in the front of a sled to make it go faster, thus disqualifying, and humiliating his country, his teammates and his coach. Thus, they don't like him very much and because of that the Jamaicans have to work extra hard to make an impression.... Read more ›
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
A Jamaican man has the dream to make it to the Olympics, and while he is the fastest runner in the Island nation, he is tripped and unable to win.
He finds out that there is another opportunity, and that is for a bobsled team, something Jamaica has never attempted because... who would ever dream of a team from a Caribbean Island that competes against the best of the best... they don't even know about snow!!!
John Candy is a retired Olympic gold medal winner and he lives in Kingston. The team enlists his services and soon we find ourselves witnessing a rather funny story of a group of athletes going to compete in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where cold is something beyond every conceivable idea of this group of four great athletes.
Simply, don't' miss this fun Caribbean story of the struggle to achieve greatness.
He finds out that there is another opportunity, and that is for a bobsled team, something Jamaica has never attempted because... who would ever dream of a team from a Caribbean Island that competes against the best of the best... they don't even know about snow!!!
John Candy is a retired Olympic gold medal winner and he lives in Kingston. The team enlists his services and soon we find ourselves witnessing a rather funny story of a group of athletes going to compete in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where cold is something beyond every conceivable idea of this group of four great athletes.
Simply, don't' miss this fun Caribbean story of the struggle to achieve greatness.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
What a great comedy this is. The humour it has is timeless and gives you some really heartfelt laughs.
Most of all what an important message it has in this dope infested world of sports! This film in a masterful way shows that what matters is not the victory but just being there and participating. These movie should be shown to the kids that participate in sports in all schools colleges academies . Not to leave out the parents that sometimes push their kids in an unreasonable way.
Finally this movie shows in a very eloquent way that regardless of what your circumstances are you can fulfil any goal you set and pursue in an elaborate way.
Really clean family entertainment with John Cndy in one of his best roles. I highly recommend it to everyone.
Most of all what an important message it has in this dope infested world of sports! This film in a masterful way shows that what matters is not the victory but just being there and participating. These movie should be shown to the kids that participate in sports in all schools colleges academies . Not to leave out the parents that sometimes push their kids in an unreasonable way.
Finally this movie shows in a very eloquent way that regardless of what your circumstances are you can fulfil any goal you set and pursue in an elaborate way.
Really clean family entertainment with John Cndy in one of his best roles. I highly recommend it to everyone.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
A Kid's Review
Format:DVD
This is one of my favorite movies. It all starts out with a Jamaican man by the name of Derice Bannok, whose father was a famous Jamaican runner in the Summer Olympics. Derice practices running and could run just as fast as his father, but at the try-outs for the Olympics, he gets tripped and doesn't make it. But he doesn't give up there! He goes to the president of the Department of the Jamaican Olympic Team, and tries to get him to re-run the race, but he says no. Derice still wants to go to the Olympics, so, he tries to get together the first Jamaican Bobsled team. He tries to find Irving Blitzer, a man who used to be on the American Bobsled team, but got kicked out for cheating and went to Jamaica to get away from Bobsledding. Mr. Blitzer keeps refusing Derices offer, but then finally agrees to coach his team. I cant' tell you anymore because I don't want to spoil it for you. This movie is an instant comedy classic that anybody would love, and, it has great music, plus, it's based on a true story so it's very realistic. Five stars from me!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Tugs at the heart and warms the soul...
For anyone that says that fact is stranger than fiction, there are movies like `Cool Runnings' proving them correct in that statement. Read more
Published 5 days ago by Andrew Ellington
4.0 out of 5 stars
Rated PG but some language not appropriate for younger kids
Great movie for teen-ish and up. Only a few words that I would rather have not been there. Great story of accomplishment with good humor.
Published 15 days ago by Richard T. Bryant
5.0 out of 5 stars
The disc, not the movie
Not much to say, arrived new in good condition. Just the basic disc inside the case. If you want a review of the movie itself, look on imbd.com.
Published 25 days ago by Josh Knight
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great ESL movie.
Great movie for ESL high school students. Funny, motivational film. Great for literary analysis of character development. It never gets old!
Published 26 days ago by Cynthia Marsden
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great family movie!
This is a great movie for the whole family. Fun, light-hearted, and a little witty. You can never go wrong getting a childhood favorite on DVD.
Published 27 days ago by Jenna
5.0 out of 5 stars
cool
very entertaining movie life is too stressful and here is a movie to take the edge off that crappy day
Published 1 month ago by sheila a fleck
4.0 out of 5 stars
Cool rubbings
I thought it was an ok movie. Laughed a few times. All in all it was good & I would share the movie with other family.
Published 1 month ago by Angel0fmerc311
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Cool Story.....
Yes, this was based on the true story of the Jamaican Bobsled team, the anomaly that took the Calgary Winter Olympics by surprise. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Betty L. Wilkins
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Movie
Fun movie for kids of all ages. My 14 year old son really enjoyed watching this "old" movie. We all enjoyed laughing during the trials of the Jamaican Bobsled team.
Published 2 months ago by Michael L Harper
5.0 out of 5 stars
You laugh until you cry!
John Candy at his best! This world needs more humor like Candy's--simple, healing, laughter! We miss you John--thank you for leaving us with your talented gifts--you are still... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Marcy-Jo
