Cool Runnings

[A] sweet-natured, high-spirited comedy, that rare movie that plays effectively to all ages.

Cheesy? Certainly. But strong performaces and a heart-warming storyline make this a winner.

Though it certainly has faults, which only the extremely nostalgic could ignore, the film bests its contemporaries through its ability to unite childlike comedy and adult concerns without ever obscuring one with the other.

Cool Runnings is a charming tale of determined underdogs, with plenty of laughs, moments of real tension, and five engaging performances.

The offbeat, fact-based saga is enlivened by the perfect balance of humor, emotion and insight and should be one of the true sleepers among fall box office releases.

Travelogue shots of happy Jamaicans dancing in the sun give way to patronising comedy.

A brightly optimistic and warmly funny comedy, with solid performances and a no-nonsense visual approach that emphasises story over spectacle.

... mildly amusing but overly calculated comedy...

Admittedly, it's a little predictable and patronising at times, but the eager performances of John Candy and his charges carry the day.

The performances are fun, and director John Turtletaub gets those fateful final moments right, leaving us with a triumphant, entertaining story of Winter Olympic glory.