The Rocket (2005)

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Directed by Charles Biname.

Starring Roy Dupuis, Stephen McHattie, Philip Craig, Michel Barrette, Julie Le Breton, Pierre-Francois Legendre.

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Roy Dupuis stars as the first professional hockey player to score 50 goals in one season in director Charles Biname's docudrama tracing the life of Canadian sports legend Maurice "The Rocket" Richard. As a 17-year-old boy, Quebec native Richard labored the day away in a Montreal factory before lacing up his skates and hitting the ice. Richard's dream was to someday play on the national hockey league, and after years of hard work he eventually made that fantasy a reality. But Richard would accomplish much more than simply earning a spot on the biggest league in the country; his passion for the game eventually propelled him to become one of the most beloved players in hockey history. In 1955, when Richard was suspended for deliberately injuring another athlete on the ice, the outrage that erupted would culminate in the notorious riot at the Montreal forum. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

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Reviews and discussions

Spout Mavens Disc #6: The Rocke ...
by rik_tod in The Cinema 4 Pylon: SpOutpost

liked it.

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"Director: Charles Binamé // Canadian, 2005Cinema 4 Rating: 7 Of course we generally go to movies in which we either have an interest in a personality involved in the film, whether it be a star or director or even the author of the source material, or we love a particular genre and wish to see new examples of such, or we have heard or deduced that there is an element within the plot which forms that interest. In most cases, those that love dinosaurs are more apt to see a film if it involves dinosaurs than a film that doesn't, and more so than those that don't appreciate large, lumbering prehistoric beasts. The wall into which I have slammed my nose time and again through the brief period I have been part of the Spout Mavens group is constructed firmly by layers of DVDs containing films and subjects which I have absolutely zero interest in confronting in real life. And I have mentioned this time and again as well, though I have managed thus far to spew out some sort ... " [More]

The Rocket: the Legend of Mauri ...
by analogzombie in analogzombie Blog

hasn't rated it.

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"Rudy on ice. The Rocket: the Legend of Maurice Richard chronicles the rise of Richard, apparently a famous French Canadian hockey player active during the 1940’s. Written by Ken Scott and directed by Charles Biname(‘), The Rocket is a beautiful period film washed with the familiar patina of films like Hope and Glory. It seems no one, especially the sporting press, ever expected the frail Richard to amount to much. His team, the Canadians, even felt he was a ‘lemon’ at the beginning of his career. Personal doubts followed, but Richard remained determined. He had heart, I suppose. Besides his humble demeanor Richard stayed remarkably unchanged from his youth, through his career in the NHL. He loved the same woman, always dominated the rink and even held down a factory job for many years. Truly he was a saint. Roy Dupuis is serviceable as the modest Richard but the real standout is Stephen McHattie (A History of Violence, The Fountain) as Canadians coach Dick ... " [More]

The Great Quebecois Hope
by Tenenbaums in Tenenbaums Blog

liked it.

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"Let's go back. Back to a time when hockey was played without helmets or masks. When being a professional hockey player was (apparently) not a full-time job. A time before agents and million dollar contracts, when talent won out over hype and gimmicks. A simpler time.Specifically 1942, when Maurice "The Rocket" Richard (Roy Dupuis), a Quebecois machinist who'd financially supported his family since age 16, is signed by the hometown Montreal Canadians after an open training camp. Richard dazzles coach Dick Irvin with his speed and determination, but other team officials urge Irvin to be wary of Richard's tendency to break bones. Despite Richard being too brittle to join the army and fight in WWII, Irvin signs him anyway and is torched by the press after Richard breaks an ankle after a handful of electric games.Of course, the injury only motivates Richard to work harder and it is here that Pierre Gill's incredibly fluid cinematography really shines. Mo ... " [More]

Man on Fire
by solafekxela in solafekxela Blog

liked it.

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"Prodigal director Steven Soderbergh is quoted as saying what he hates the most is when every part of a movie looks the same. It is this crime, though, that many times the otherwise original, inventive independent films are guilty of. Ironically, Soderbergh’s career was birthed from this circle, and many of his early films were a bit monotone. It is a great treat, then, when such a film is able to blend imaginative story with inventive visuals. The Rocket, directed by Charles Binamé, is just such a film.Though natively from Belgium, Binamé is a Quebecer director who has a very distinct cinematic eye that should be given a look at broader fare. However, backhanded compliments aside, The Rocket is a superb hockey film, a spectacular sports movie, and all together a really good effort.Playing legendary hockey player Maurice “The Rocket” Richard is Roy Dupuis, who embodies the man with sincerity and precision. Richard may not be as familiar to Americans ... " [More]

The Rocket
by JimBell in JimBell Blog

is neutral about it.

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"The Rocket (2007) is a good enough movie to warrant serious critical attention. The story of one of hockey’s greatest players, Maurice Richard, is told with excellent acting by Francois Langlois Vallieres (young Richard) and especially Roy Dupuis (adult Richard). How fortunate to get a person who looks like Richard, speaks French and English, can actually skate well, and is a strong actor. The supporting cast, such as Julie LeBreton as his wife, is solid in the not-very-complex roles they are called on to play. The look and feel of the 40s and 50s is captured well, including the use of stock black and white footage of Montreal. The look and feel of the hockey games are recreated faithfully. The players wear minimal equipment and look authentically small on the ice compared to the padded behemoths playing in the National Hockey League today. Several professional hockey players were involved in the movie: Sean Avery played tough guy Bob Dill, Mike Ricci played Elmer Lach, and ... " [More]

This "Rocket" just doesn't have ...
by indieabby88 in Bloggish review blog

hasn't rated it.

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"While I'm not much of a sports fan, I do enjoy watching sports movies. There's just something about watching an underdog beat the odds and take the necessary risks on the road to success that just makes me feel good. I know I'm not alone in this. Otherwise, there wouldn't be much of a market for movies like "Cinderella Man," "Seabiscuit" or "The Natural."That's what filmmakers tried to do with "The Rocket," a movie about the career of legendary hockey player Maurice Richard and the racism against French Canadians both in sports and in regular society, during the forties and fifties. Technically, "The Rocket" is a pretty good piece of work, with great music, lovely, rich cinematography and a good story. But due to some seriously weak writing, the movie never really takes off.What "The Rocket" mainly suffers from is relying on telling more than showing. We are only shown vignettes of Richard's life, ... " [More]

Deeper Than Ice
by Demndiary in Demndiary Blog

liked it.

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"It would be easy to classify Charles Biname’s The Rocket like any underdog sports film. It would also be wrong. Biname is after a bigger goal with this film. It is to expose the racism and discrimination during the fledgling days of the NHL. The film traces twenty years from the late 1930’s to the mid-1950’s. The film is carried by the performances of three actors: Roy Dupuis as Maurice Richard, Julie LeBreton as his wife Lucille, and Stephen McHattie as Dick Irvin, coach of the Canadiens. Dupuis is stoic, and silent in the beginning, and later on gives Richard a strong voice. LeBreton makes Lucille unflinchingly caring even during the worst of moments. McHattie’s Irvin is the “never say anything nice” coach who will win at all costs. In a film like Rocky, the final scene is winning the big match. In The Rocket, the best highlights of Richard’s career happen in the first hour. He is breaking records, and taking on other players. It is th ... " [More]

It is the best sports movie I h ...
by laraemeadows in laraemeadows Blog

loved it.

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"The Rocket or Maurice Richard, the biographical story of hockey legend Maurice Richard, is the best sports biography I have ever seen. It isthe best movie that uses sports to highlight historical bigotry I have ever seen. It is the best sports movie I have ever seen. A poor machinist in the slums of Quebec, trying to do his part for the War effort during World War Two, Maurice Richard decides to try out for the Canadiens hockey team. His amazing talent wasn’t enough, though; there were concerns that he was just too frail for hockey. After an extended time of not playing hockey, the Canadiens put him on the ice where he becomes the legend every hockey player studies. He struggles with the uncertainty of his job and supporting his wife and children. During his rise to fame, it is brought to his attention that the French speaking hockey players and citizens are being treated as second class citizens. Using his fame, and with some trepidation, he decides if he is going to ... " [More]

Cold Biopic
by HairyLime in HairyLime Blog

is neutral about it.

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"I was frequently reminded of my favorite 'Sports Movies' while watching this Canadian Film, and how the best of them can move or excite or thrill despite the viewer's complete ignorance of the particular sport. I'm thinking of 'Breaking Away' (bicycle racing), or 'Hoosiers' (basketball), or 'Eight Men Out', 'The Rookie', 'The Natural' (baseball), 'Slap Shot' (hockey), 'Remember the Titans' (football), 'Rocky', 'Cinderella Man' or 'Body and Soul' (boxing) or even the recent 'Dodgeball'. All manage to engage the viewer in the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat regardless of whether you are a sports fan or not. There are times in this film that the filmmakers got close to the net, and a couple moments where they scored a goal, but they couldn't quite put together a hat trick with this one. The hockey action scenes were well filmed and edited, and gave a sense of excitement ... " [More]

"He's all of Quebec standing po ...
by QFLW in QFLW Blog

liked it.

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"The RocketDirected by Charles Binamé, written by Ken ScottRoy Dupuis – Maurice RichardJulie LeBreton – Lucille Norchet RichardStephen McHattie – Dick Irvin, coach of the Montreal CanadiensTed Dillon – Clarence Campbell, commissioner of the NHLPhillip Craig – Tommy Gorman, Canadiens’ managerSerge Houde – Conn Smythe, manager of the Maple LeafsSean Avery – Bob “Killer” Dill, player for the NY Rangers I’ve never followed hockey or been to a game but have enjoyed every hockey film seen. It boils down to the skating. Cooler than any fancy figuring, seeing burly guys zip around on blades without a thought, amazingly balanced as they execute furious, tricky moves. I’ve thought of going to games on occasion, but I’d never get such terrific camera’s eye views at actual games, I'm afraid.Here then is The Rocket, a film about Maurice Richard, held to be Quebec’s greatest player. Interestin ... " [More]

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Tags: retrospective , riot-uprising , suspension-punishment , hockeyplayer , controversy
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