Without Limits (1998)

Review by Bret Walker

Telling the story of US Olympic athlete Steve Prefontaine, Without Limits is a testament to courage, stamina, and the mettle of the human spirit.

Steve Prefontaine, or Pre to his followers, was a phenomenon. In the late 1960's he was arguably the fastest runner in high school in America. In fact, he set and still holds the US record for the 1500 meter for men under 19 years old. His running ability attracted the University of Oregon to him, and their track coach, crusty no-nonsense Bill Bowerman. Bill tried to coach Pre, to get him to run behind throughout most of the race and then take the lead at the end. But he may as well have been telling lightning where to strike. Pre had his own style and his own philosophy. He viewed a race as a work of art, and felt that if he didn't give 100% throughout that he was somehow cheating the race. In fact, the one time he listened to Bowerman's advice, at the 1972 Munich Olympics, he came in fourth, unable to even ascend the podium.

This failure nearly destroyed Pre, but it was the conviction of his mentor and the love of his girlfriend that brought him back from the brink. But then, just as he was getting ready to return to the sport that was his entire life, fate took a twisted turn and took him from us forever.

Maybe I've said too much in this summary, but it's a biographical film about a real person and you can look it up in the history books anyway. Regardles, Without Limits captures the spirit of Steve Prefontaine. Billy Crudup gives a spectacular performance as the untamed horse of distance running. Donald Sutherland, teriffic in everything he does, is also great as the coach who tries to rein him in. The rest of the cast is very good as well, owing a lot to the direction. Robert Towne gives us a spectacular view into the psyche of a man who would not be defeated by anyone except himself. In the end, it's a film that makes you feel proud to be a human being, to be anything that you are but to be the best at it that you can be. Pre showed us how we could test our limits, push past them, to give the appearance that we are without limits and that we could do anything if we only dreamed it.

This is one of those films that made me feel good watching it. The ending gave me chills. The way the entire community came together and gave Pre the world record that he had aimed for just before his death was a compelling moment in the film, and Sutherland translated the anguish that they all felt in his own manner, both vocally and silently. At that moment he was speaking to all of us, not just those at the memorial.

I highly recommend this film. It's a great pick-me-up, even with the sad ending. It makes you want to go out and build a skyscraper, it's that good.

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Trivia:

Links:

Without Limits on the Matthew Lillard site

University of Oregon Steve Prefontaine Bio

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