Rudy

Rudy

1993

Director: David Anspaugh

Writer: Angelo Pizzo

114 Minutes

Everyone has a dream. Some want to become doctors, lawyers, etc. Some want to become a basketball star in the NBA. Others want to travel the world. And some want to become parents.

Whatever your dreams, the impossibility and obstacles placed before you are what makes your dream tolerable. If it were easy, everyone would do it.

Rudy is a film about Daniel E. Ruettiger, a Chicago-based native who wanted to attend and play football at the University of Notre Dame. Like most kids in that part of the country, they all want to play football at Notre Dame. And like most kids, most are told they are not good enough, smart enough, or strong enough.

Rudy was all three. Sorta.

The obstacles in this film are what make this journey timeless. Starting when he was a child, his brothers, father, teachers, girlfriend, friends, priest, and bosses told Rudy "Notre Dame is not for everyone..." They made snide remarks, turned their backs, and joked about Rudy’s fantasy.

And he wanted to prove to them all...just how wrong they were.

See, most everyone knows what it feels like to have no one believe in you. Most everyone knows what it’s like to be the last one picked. And most everyone has rode the bench, waiting out their time to shine whether it be on the athletic field, job market, or even to your family.

If you haven’t felt it, then you are the minority.

In the scene above, Rudy comes in from playing football with his brothers, grabs dinner, and sits down next to his father to watch the Notre Dame game. When his father asks if anyone has anything to say before he starts his meal, Rudy replies with this:

“After high school, I’m going to play football at Notre Dame.”

That is Rudy’s dream. It was his childhood dream. Childhood dreams hold a strong connection that even at the most innocent, decent time in our lives where the world seems pure and optimistic, we have great, big dreams. And when we see the reality in this world, we often lose sight of those dreams.

But, Rudy wasn’t to be discouraged. He wasn’t backing down. He had a dream. No matter the obstacles, he was going to play football at Notre Dame.

And in spite of the characters, environment, and his own self-doubt and physical limitations, he did whatever he had to because that was important to him. The reason this film is great is because that type of dedication, perseverance, and desire is so rare in this world it can only be captured in Hollywood films.

Or in the military.

Even though Rudy was NOT the best player at Notre Dame and some offer their opinion that Rudy never did anything else with his life after Notre Dame, he did do this:

Daniel E. Ruettiger graduated from the Notre Dame and was a member of their football team.

In this life, what else does he need to prove?