Without Limits (1998)

**SPOILERS** Both heart lifting as well as heart breaking true story of Amerian running sensation Steve "Pre" Prefontaine played by, Steve's almost identical twin look-alike, Australian actor Billy Crudup.With a passion in going to the limit of his endurance in order to win Steve set running records in races from 2,000 to 10,000 meters during his short but unforgettable armature running career that ended with his tragic death in an auto crash on the evening of May 30, 1975. Steve was only 24 at the time and was in the process of making a comeback in the forthcoming 1976 Montreal Olympics to both face and defeat the "Flying Finn" Lasse Viren, Pat Porter,in rematch of their sensational race in the Munich Olympics back in the summer of 1972. It was Viren who defeated Steve back in 1972 in the terror filled Munich Olympics where 11 Israeli athletes were murdered by their Arab kidnappers.In the film "Without Limits" we get to see how Steve pushed himself to the absolute limits in order to win. Like he told his girlfriend Oragon University coed Mary Marckx, Monica Potter, the reason that that I win is not that I'm the best runner in the race but the one who's willing to take the most pain in order to win it! And pain Steve took to the point of almost crippling himself, with a torn muscle, in order to win one of the many races that he competed in. Brash and sure of himself Steve found his coach of the Oragon University track & field team Bill Bowerman, Donalnd Southerland, detrimental to him in Bowerman wanting to change his unorthodox style of running. Bowerman wanting Steve to pace himself instead of burning himself out had to finally convince Steve to change his take the lead running style in the unforgettable 5,000 meter race at Munich. Holding back for the first two miles Steve finally exploded taking command with a mile left in the race. But with Steve's top competitor in the race Viren having enough left in not having to overextend himself against Steve, who was in the middle of the pack, for the first two miles he managed to pull out a victory and Olympic Gold Medal by passing and beating Steve in the last 200 meters of the race.Washed up at age 21 with no intentions to continue his running career Steve went into a deep depression until both Mary and Bill Bowerman finally talked him into getting back on the race track and train for the 1976 summer Olympics in Montreal. As things were to turn out Steve never lived to participate much less win in them!Great film about a truly great athlete Steve Defontaine who more then anyone else represented the Olympic spirit of selfless and honest competition among top athletes of the world's community of nations. Never looking for fame or fortune Steve only wanted to prove to himself and those who watched him preform-as well as participated against him-on the track that he was by far the best there was and ever will be in the field of middle to long distance running. The most fitting tribute for Steve was given at his memorial service by his tearful coach Bill Bowerman who finally, at the Munich Olympics which Steve lost, realized what a unique person as well as athlete Steve really was: "What Steve thought me is that the real purpose of winning a race isn't winning. It'as to test the limits of the human heart. And that he did. Nobody did it more often and nobody did it better".

Without Limits is an inspirational film based on the greatest runner that America has ever seen and the tragedy that ended his life, Steve Prefontaine. Billy Crudup, looking very similar to the late Pre, plays the role. The film takes a look into the personality of the swift footed Oregon native. It starts out with Bill Dellinger trying to recruit Pre. This is when you see the first signs of his sarcastic side taking two of Oregon's best track runners on an "easy ten" leading them all the way. You also get a glimpse of Pre's stubborn side as well telling Oregon's recruiter that he would not go to Oregon unless head coach Bill Bowerman (who didn't believe in recruiting) personally let him know that he is wanted. Pre got his greetings in a letter and headed to the running college of Oregon. Pre's first couple of weeks on the Oregon track team got him the nickname that lasted to his dying days, Rube, as a cause of his drive to push the limits. Pre's first collegiate race was a blowout that shot him to stardom, smashing the American record. After that he was the all-star of Oregon's track team. Although Pre was a performer Bowerman insisted on pushing the limits on Pre's mental side, trying to cure him of front running which in Pre's eyes was chicken sh*t. Racing was a work of art to Pre and he wouldn't sit back for 2.5 miles and then take the race in the last 500 meters. The movie focuses on this battle between front running and the way Bowerman wanted him to race (holding back). This was the biggest struggle for Pre in his collegiate career, trying to test the odds and push the limits when everyone thought they were impossible. He wanted to go all out until he had nothing left. In the 1972 Munich Olympics is where Pre would come to a devastating halt in success. With high hopes in the preliminaries Pre told reporters, when they asked how he thought the race would turn out he stuck to his normal routine in saying "I hope that it comes down to a pure guts race, if so then I am the only one who can win it." He also said at about the same time a phrase that is famous even still today "If you're going to beat you will have to bleed to do it." Pre got beat in the race for gold and from there he went into a state of depression. The movie is not just some statistic, though, it has the romance that diverges the movie to a more emotional side. Mary was the soft spoken religious type that went on with her normal self until she was spotted by Pre. Love that Pre had never felt before was driven to be with Mary. Although at first Mary wasn't interested Pre's sarcastic, outspoken, and completely goal driven attitude grabbed her and pulled her in. Pre's relentless and persistence really shows in his pursuit of love. His ability to think he could do anything he wanted confused most because he refused to believe in talent. Pre's legacy went to a crashing end as the movie closes out its story. A powerful ending that leaves a lasting impression of the 24 year old track runner that was troubled with the fact that a mediocre effort could win a race and a magnificent effort could lose one. Pre broke every American record from 2,000 meters to 10,000. Director Robert Townes does a great job depicting the struggle, with help from a friend of Pre's, Kenny Moore also a world-class runner, the dynamic duo comes together to make a classic sports movie that anyone can relate too.

This movie truly handled the true life story of Steve Prefontaine with care. The photography was stunning. It was filmed on location in Eugene Oregon. Tom Cruise Produced the picture and his choice for director was key. Robert Towne Directed and co- wrote the screenplay.Most people think of Mr. Towne as a writer. His movies include the screen play for Mission Impossible and the Classic, China Town. China Town brought him both the Oscar and the Golden Globe for best Original Screenplay. He has directed very few films over the years but the fit for this project was on the mark.Steve Prefontaine was a larger then life figure. To tell his story right Robert really had to do his home work. He chose to film the actual locations surrounding Prefontaines life. This really gave it a realistic feel. To see the actual track where Steve broke almost every long distance record on the books. The track where he was never defeated. That had a lot of meaning. Just a side note: This track today, is the site of the Pre- Classic. It's one of the worlds biggest track events of the year. The worlds top track and field star's take part in this event.I had the good fortune to play an extra in this film. I owned a 1965 Pontiac. Warner Brothers was scouting out some car shows and asked if they could use my car in the movie. ( you can see it in the outside scene in front of the bar called, The Pad). Later I was asked If i would like to appear as an extra. Of course i said yes. After a long shoot the director, Robert Town came over and asked me to go to makeup. He had a scene for me. I was to appear with Billy Crubup, who played Steve Prefontaine and Monica Potter who played Mary Marchx his girl friend. Although the scene was cut from the movie, i got to meet some wonderful people. I had breakfast with Billy who turned out to be a warm person and later met Monica who seemed to be lonely during the long down times between takes.As i was moving my Pontiac on the set, Donald Sutherland who was going over his script for an upcoming scene, came over to me and told me how much he like my car. I showed him around and he seemed interested. He was really a great guy.I bring all this up to point out that a lot of wonderful people who took pride in their craft came together and put out a wonderful picture. If you haven't seen it, watch it I know you will enjoy it.

This is definitely one of the best sports movies ever made as well as one of the most unnoticed movies of 1998. Strange really, because "Without Limits" is an amazing story about Steve Prefontaine. I didn't know it was a biographical movie up until it showed the Olympics. So when I realized that the main character really ran like the wind and had no physical obstacles he couldn't overcome I instantly became an admirer of Steve Prefontaine.Billy Crudup, who truly stole every scene "even" in "Almost Famous" is brilliant as Steve Prefontaine. His amazing transformation into the role of America's fastest runner was absolutely amazing, and I had no idea who the actor was, I only vaguely remembered his name. Donald Sutherland delivers his performance of the decade and the very beautiful Monica Potter does a great job as well.The subtle manner in which the director chose to display Pre's life is admirable and very touching. He truly was a role model. He's a role model to me now, more than 30 years later. When he was explaining his running logic to his coach I really understood his look on life. He wasn't planning on being disappointed, he went the distance.There's one more thing this movie deserves immense credit for. It made me want to run. AND ACTUALLY ENJOY IT!!!!!!! A brilliant movie that made me think about my life. 8/10