PREFONTAINE
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1997 James Berardinelli
RATING (0 TO 10): 6.5 Alternative Scale: **1/2 out of ****
United States, 1997 U.S. Release Date: 1/24/97 (wide) Running Length: 1:46 MPAA Classification: PG-13 (Profanity, mature themes) Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Cast: Jared Leto, R. Lee Ermey, Ed O'Neill, Lindsay Crouse, Amy Locane, Peter Anthony Jacobs, Henri Lubatti, Laurel Holloman Director: Steve James Producers: Jon Lutz, Irby Smith, Mark Doonan, Peter Gilbert Screenplay: Steve James and Eugene Corr Cinematography: Peter Gilbert Music: Mason Daring U.S. Distributor: Hollywood Pictures
Steve James and Peter Gilbert, the men behind 1995's unexpected sensation, HOOP DREAMS, must have a fondness for the documentary format, since they have attempted to apply it to their first narrative feature. PREFONTAINE, based on the life of the '70s track phenom who captivated the United States' imagination, is presented as half-story, half faux documentary, with actors who have been unconvincingly aged by bad makeup jobs looking back two decades and reminiscing about the title character.
I suppose that James and Gilbert intended to be somewhat unconventional with this approach (maybe to differentiate their film from PRE, another Prefontaine bio-pic due to arrive in theaters during the Fall), but it isn't wholly successful. For the most part, the documentary segments, in addition to being unilluminating, are intrusive. Every time we're getting into the story, it seems that there's a cut away to someone in the "present" who has a point to make about their friend/son/boyfriend/student. Fortunately, this distracting technique largely disappears during the film's second half.
During the early '70s, Steve Prefontaine was the James Dean of track. The University of Oregon student set nearly every NCAA distance record before competing in the 1972 Munich Olympics, where he failed to win a medal. Following his spectacular downfall on the world's stage, Prefontaine (or "Pre" as he was commonly called) never recaptured the public's imagination the way he had in his halcyon pre-Olympic days. He was gearing up for an appearance in the 1976 Montreal games when, at the age of 24, he died in an alcohol-related single car accident that further accentuated his similarities to Dean.
Prefontaine's sole goal in life was to win, and his arrogant self- confidence rubbed both friends and enemies the wrong way. Losing gracefully was anathema. He ran every race to win, but, when it came to the biggest race of his life, he didn't quite have enough. Not only did Prefontaine miss the gold, but he fell to fourth place and didn't even earn the bronze. The obsessive drive and determination of the young athlete are characteristics that James' film effectively captures. There are areas of Prefontaine's personality that are left half-explored (such as his family relationships), but the competitive spirit bubbles to the surface.
Jared Leto does such an excellent job of imitating Prefontaine that the film makers are able to seamlessly intercut archival footage of the real figure with that of Leto and not destroy the illusion. In fact, Leto looks so much like Pre that contemporaries of the track star have commented about how eerie it is watching the film. Other than Leto, who is PREFONTAINE's central focus, everyone in the cast has a supporting role. R. Lee Ermey plays Bill Bowerman, Pre's tough-talking coach. Ed O'Neill is Bowerman's assistant, Bill Dellinger. Linsay Crouse is Pre's mother, Peter Anthony Jacobs is his father, and Amy Locane and Laurel Holloman are his two girlfriends.
When James stays in the '70s, he fashions an involving, occasionally gripping, motion picture. The sequences at the Munich Olympics, which feature footage of Jim McKay reporting on the tragic death of 11 Israeli athletes at the hands of Arab terrorists, are extremely well-constructed. The blend of new material and genuine video creates a disturbing "you are there" sensation. Nothing else in PREFONTAINE works quite as well as this.
Because it mostly follows classic true-to-life sports movie formulas, Prefontaine's story is undeniably cinematic, although it's essentially missing a final act. That's not because the main character dies, but because he loses the big race without ever getting a chance to make recompense. James tries too hard to bring closure to Pre's life, and, as a result, strays a little too far into melodrama. The tearful reminiscences at the end, not to mention some of the stuff at the funeral, lay it on thickly.
It will be interesting to see how the bigger budgeted PRE develops the same story, although it probably won't look anything like a documentary. PREFONTAINE loses some of its dramatic energy by opting for that approach. Still, structural problems aside, the film effectively conveys a great deal of information about the track legend without ever adopting a didactic tone. We feel things along with Pre, and, by the time the final credits roll, we have developed an appreciation for what the sports world lost on that night in 1975 when track's most colorful athlete crossed his last finish line.
- James Berardinelli e-mail: berardin@bc.cybernex.net ReelViews web site: http://www.cybernex.net/~berardin
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