Cool Runnings - Underdogs go (released in 1993)

When you think of the Winter Olympics, what comes to mind ? People from the countries of US, Canada, North Europe, Japan, China, and other countries where there are regions of snow and tall mountains. If you were told that there would be contestants from countries that are more tropical, hot, and ocean going, you would be surprised; in fact, you could question whether such folks would have the ability to handle the type of sports that are part of the Winter Olympics. Sports such as skiing, ice hockey, and bob-sledding. And yet, in the 1988 Winter Olympics at Calgary, there was a team of bob-sledders from the small tropical Carribean nation of Jamaica.
Well, they did not win, but they lived upto the ideals of the Olympics, which is participating, especially when doing so with full spirits and with full conviction. From a time when they were jeered, they were actually applauded.



There are many inconsistencies in the movie and reality, especially the enthusiastic and formerly-cheating coach, Irving 'Irv' Blitzer (John Candy); the association "International Alliance of Winter Sports" does not exist, and of course, the Jamaicans did not reach the finals; so the movie was made out to be more romantic than it actually was.
The movie tells the story of Irving 'Irv' Blitzer, who was a former bobsled champion, convicted of cheating in the 1972 Winter Olympics and retired in disgrace. He settled in Jamaica, and was brought out of obscurity to coach a team from Jamaica to take part in the bobsled tournament. He finally manages to assemble a team, and as you would expect, there are many failures on the way, but they manage to reach the Olympics and slowly make their way up with improved performances. Finally, at a crucial minute, their sled breaks, and they carry the sled over the finish live to applause from the crowd.