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Without Limits

Without Limits

List Price: $9.97
Your Price: $5.99
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 2 stars
Summary: This is ok. Buy Prefontaine instead.
Review: This movie has its ups and downs, and has alot of unneccesary sex scenes. Draggy in places and is sometimes boring. Buy Prefontaine, it has cooler racing segments and is just and overall better portrayal of Steve Prefontaine. It is very clean besides the language and is a great buy. I reccomend Prefontaine over this.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Greatest Insperational movie
Review: I really started getting into the whole "PREFONTAINE" hype about 3 years ago. My cousin bought this movie for me for my first high school cross country season. I watched it, and then gave it to everyone on my team watch it. They all loved it. If your a runner like I am, watch this movie, and I guarentee that it'll go out and make you want to do a couple of miles. I saw this movie, before i saw PREFONTAINE, so naturally I think it is better. And Billy Crudup looks all most identical to the real Steve Prefontaine. I recomend this movie to anyone who is felling down about running.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Inspirational tribute to Steve Prefontaine
Review: It's really a shame that director Robert Towne's 1999 film "Without Limits" was not seen by a larger audience. This is an inspirational tribute to the all-too-short life of long distance runner Steve Prefontaine. It is also an admirable film detailing the sport of track and field and the unique athletes who participate in it. There are moments when "Without Limits" is far too conventional, especially when dealing with Prefontaine's depression after the 1972 Munich Olympics. But this is a difficult story to tell, and Towne has done an expert job in weaving Prefontaine's life around the ultimate, bittersweet highlight of his career - his heroic and memorable race at the Olympics.

Having seen both films about this subject released in the same year ("Prefontaine" starring Jared Leto was released before "Without Limits"), I can comfortably say Towne's version is a better realized, more innovative work. The editing and direction during the Olympic race is terrifically exciting, and properly captures the warrior-like nature Prefontaine displayed in that symbolic moment. The scene, which arrives about three-quarters of the way in, will raise goosebumps on your flesh. The filmmaking innovations involved, in which the race becomes as exciting a battle as anything seen in "Rocky," is a tribute to the talents of Towne. He knew what parts of that race needed to be emphasized, just as he knew why it was such a spectacular effort by Prefontaine. Towne's gone on record, of course, as being a huge track and field fan, and his overrated 1982 film "Personal Best" was another fine salute to the sport.

One cannot give enough praise to the performances of Billy Crudup as Prefontaine and Donald Sutherland as his mentor/coach Bill Bowerman (who would go on the create Nike shoes). They bond, forming a father-son relationship that is equally touching and gentle. Their repartee, when Prefontaine first arrives on the University of Oregon campus during the 1960s as a cocky and brash track athlete, is an additional highlight.

In many ways, Prefontaine's interesting life has been simplified by Towne and co-screenwriter Kenny Moore, if only because so much of the man's life was unrealized. Prefontaine's tragic death is haunting because unlimited promise was yet on the horizon for this uniquely American athlete. But Prefontaine's spirit, which inspires people to this very day, and perhaps will forever, has been properly captured in "Without Limits." And that is why this film is an unqualified success.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Not as good as "Prefontaine"
Review: But it is still pretty good. I just prefer "Prefontaine" a lot more. In "Prefontaine," you get to know the characters a lot better and they are much more likeable, plus the running scenes are more exciting. I also prefer Jared Leto over Billy Crudup as Pre. Though I do like Billy Crudup (see "Almost Famous"). If you are a diehard Pre fan, then get this (though view it first on tv or rental); otherwise, get "Prefontaine."

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Does Have Its Limits
Review: This movie does have its limits. Although it may be more appealing to the masses, I think the movie "Prefontaine" does a better job of getting us inside the mind of the runner Pre.

This movie does have some realistic running settings early on. I was disappointed when they did not continue. For example, many cross-country runners, like myself, who have charged down the first quarter mile of a grassy slope with 200+ others (like the opening of this movie) can often tell you how it is like a horse stampede (not a cow stampede, they are too slow). In real life the volume level can be staggering (much louder than the soundtrack), but the movie does a good job of trying to present that realistically. There are other similar cases of realism, but they really get spread thin after the opening.

The movie jumps around quite a bit, not really developing any part of it very well. In some ways, this may be like life, but few of us want to see it that way -- a two hour movie should be more enveloping. I did not feel like I got to know any of the people very well. Donald Sutherland does a very good job as coach and the coach may be the only one who's character gets developed more than in "Prefontaine".

The closing scene of "Prefontaine" was much more moving than "Without Limits". The former is more like "Beaches" while the latter is more like a TV drama (excluding "Touched by an Angel", which can be tear-jerking).

Watch both "Without Limits" and "Prefontaine" and let us know what YOU think!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: InSpIrIng It was insanely good Out of 5 starts I give it a 6
Review: An awsome movie... If you want to know about plot either email me or look at some one elses thingy
All I have to say is that to any distance runner this should get you really pumped you to run and the movie has in it self many tips for the aspiring distance runner...
Also it helps keep running real in your eyes and shows you something you can be if you have the ability and perservence!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Fuzzy details; distorted presentations.
Review: I was disappointed with "Without Limits." For me, the only worthwhile and entertaining moments were those occasions that showed Steve on the track. Crudup's look-alike features to Prefontaine adds to the film. The disappointment came from the numerous distortions. The movie showed no moments as Steve as a student, rather as only a womanizing party animal. The viewer is left with the impression that Steve never graduated. But in fact, he graduated on time within the four years of undergraduate education. The viewer is also left with the impression that Steve fell apart after the '72 Olympics and dropped-off the Oregon track team. That is far from factual. Not only was Prefontaine a prominent member of the Oregon track team after the Olympics, he won NCAA collegiate titles in cross-country, the mile, and at 3-miles after the Olympics. The viewer is also given the impression that he regressed and left running after school. Fact is, Prefontaine's best came after his school years, where he set personal bests in the 1500, mile, 2K, 3K, 5K and 10K.

The person who is interested in Prefontaine's life and accomplishments cannot rely upon this film. I would suggest "Prefontaine" which covers his life in more detail and is more factually accurate.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good Flick....Mostly
Review: I enjoyed this movie, but I wouldn't recommend it as an introduction to Steve Prefontaine. "Fire On the Track" and "Prefontaine" did a much better job at showing who he was. Quite frankly, "Without Limits" was slightly disappointing for me, simply because I was left with too many questions as to what the writers were trying to get across.

First of all, there is Pre's relationship with Mary Marckx. I kept wondering what Pre found intriguing about her. She's a great character and I liked her a lot, but her place in the film is not well-defined, as she sort of floats in and out of the plot. Pre did not really pursue Mary in the grand scheme of the film either, since, in between tete-a-tetes with Mary, Pre apparently has all sorts of flings. Given this lack of attention to her (except that he thinks about her a lot) it would have been good to have focused a bit more on who Mary was to Pre, exactly.

Secondly, Pre's famous and refreshingly tenacious bone-picking of the AAU is only given a back seat in the film. I thought this was a bit strange, considering that the AAU fight was a big part of Pre's life. Even stranger was the fact that any coverage beyond a mention of Pre's last race was skipped completely, in spite of its being very important to his career. Not only was it one of his fastest races, but it probably would have never happened had Pre not pursued the AAU.

I thought the Pre-Bowerman aspect of the film was interesting because it let the viewers see something of what went on between what was undeniably a great matching of coach and student. Bowerman was a powerful influence on Pre. For one thing, he helped Steve hone his running style and he taught him discipline. For another, Steve met his match, mentally and emotionally. I enjoyed seeing their interaction with each other. Bowerman and Pre's post-college relationship could have gotten a bit more detail, even though, on the other hand, it would have been a nice little plug for Nike.

This was a good film, but I don't think it presented as fleshy a portrait of Steve Prefontaine as it could have. The viewer gets an idea, but not really a full picture.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: This one is for every long distance runner.
Review: I am a high school cross country runner, and I doubt I've ever run an important race without watching this movie the night before. Pre what every runner looks at for inspiration. The movie did a great job of a dramatic bio of his life, without too much innacuracy. The essence of Pre's life was well captured in the movie. An attitude of fearlessness, and a realization that one really has no limits. This movie brings alive a legendary runner I was never able to experience. Without Limits brings to life a myth coaches had only told me about. Without Limits shows the drama and gives running its status as a sport for the true athlete, strong in mind and body, and always willing to risk it all.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great movie and story!
Review: Super good reincarnation of one of our greatest athletes, Steve Prefontaine. Crupup does a remarkable impression of recreating this young man's life. Some actual footage has been used as well. If you are a runner, you will love Without Limits. If you enjoy being inspired you will also love this movie. Thanks to a wonderful cast, a good script, and good direction, this movie allows a story to be retold that many will not only be inspired by, but will want to go out and make a difference as a result.


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