Are you Rudy for some Netflix?
Fall is upon us. Foliage changing colors, football games and carving pumpkins are all standard in the fall.
Unfortunately, with fall comes the colder weather signaling the time to head indoors. Now, make yourself a cup of apple cider, get comfortable and watch some Netflix.
With the autumn season comes your typical fall Netflix movies, “Halloween” or “Hocus Pocus.” But what is the best Netflix movie for the fall? According to Alec Burns, an aspiring filmmaker from Des Moines, the answer is “Rudy.”
“The story of Daniel Ruettiger will inspire anyone with a dream,” Burns said.
“Rudy,” a sports movie directed by David Anspaugh, was released in 1993. It ranked 54th-most inspiring film of all time by the American Film Institute. The movie stars Sean Astin as Daniel Eugene “Rudy” Ruettiger. The film is based on the true story of Rudy’s life. Rudy was a small town boy who grew up dreaming of playing football at The University of Notre Dame. He faced the obstacles of being physically small, untalented and not getting the grades in high school to be accepted into the academically prestigious university. To avoid working at the town’s steel mill, Rudy goes against all odds to pursue his dream of playing for Notre Dame.
“When I think of fall, I think of football, I think of ‘Rudy,’” Burns said. After working extremely hard to get good grades at a community college, Rudy is finally admitted into Notre Dame. He eventually made
a spot on the practice squad roster. However, his coach was reluctant to let him onto the dress roster, which consists of the players who wear a uniform on game days.
“Just when you think all hope is lost and you want to give up, Rudy shows us what it means to persevere,” Burns said.
It isn’t until the final game of the season that Rudy’s teammates tell the head coach they are willing to give up their spots in order to let Rudy dress. The coach agrees to let Rudy dress against a strong Georgia Tech team. Late in the game, after “Rudy” chants from the players and the stadium, the coach sends Rudy in for the final two plays of the game.
“When you get a chance at your dream, you have to make it count,” Burns said.
Rudy lines up at the line-of- scrimmage for the final play. The ball is snapped, and Rudy runs as fast as he can and sacks the opposing team’s quarterback. The crowd goes crazy and his teammates carry him off the field. Rudy is one of only two players to ever be carried off the Notre Dame gridiron.
“‘Rudy’ was one of my favorite fall time movies growing up as a kid. His story of perseverance is one I will always remember,” Burns said.
“Rudy” is a great fall movie currently streaming on Netflix. Much of the film takes place in fall months and is sure to give you those “fall feels.” “Rudy” will make you want to go outside and jump into a pile of leaves. The story of Rudy shows the courage and tenacity necessary to strive for what we want out of life. This movie has the ability to pick you up no matter what you are going through. I highly recommend “Rudy” to anyone, even non-sports fans. Whether you have seen “Rudy” or not, it’s worth the watch because it goes beyond football; it’s a lesson on life.
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