Like the previous reviewer I was 10 years old when the US Hockey Team won the gold. I remember Al Michaels yelling "Do you believe in Miracles" and my family and I glued in front of the TV set for the whole series (just like they showed in the film).
This movie (as well as the event itself) was very sentimental/inspirational to me. Jim Craig was my main inspiration and I started playing hockey in 1981 in Northern Virginia. Hockey was just not big there (actually true in most of the US) until the US won the gold. I told my parents I wanted to be just like Jim Craig. At this point my dad and I were busy destroying the family room playing floor hockey and reinacting the series and breaking my moms valuables.
Steve Guttenberg did a great job portraying the star goaltender, I remember him counting the rows looking for his father and being wrapped in the American flag.
I had never known how little time there is to pull together an Olympic hockey team! I used to pop in this movie whenever I needed a charge during my hockey season. I need to transfer it from my betamax tape (hopefully I can still find it).
One year going up north to hockey school, my parents and I visited Lake Placid in the mid 80s and we asked the security guy to let us see the rink, told him the story and he obliged. That was a real thrill. Later I had the opportunity to try out for the 1988 Olympic Hockey team . I did make it past the first regional cut(then was just outclassed) but was just happy to have a shot at the dream!
Lastly I want to say how disappointed I am that the Olympics are no longer an Amateur event, that was what made this so special. They beat the Russians, which was unheard of. The way the last US Hockey Team acted in Japan was an embarrassment to our country, they need to watch this movie to remember what the spirit of the Olympics are all about! I truly applaud the womens team which seemed to bring back that spirit when they won.
I was hoping they'd do a 20 year anniversary of it and re-release the movie on video/DVD.
