An aging speedster sets out to break records in this heart-warming movie.
Britain and her off-shoots (New Zealand among them) have a long tradition of producing people who seem like odd-ball eccentrics, but are often driven by their dreams to achieve amazing things. Born 1899 Invercargill NZ, Burt Munro was a curmudgeonly Kiwi with a dream. After spending 20 years in his garden shed modifying an old motorbike - the 1920 "Indian Scout" of the title - and at the tender age of 68(!) Burt set off halfway round the world to enter speed trials at the Bonneville saltflats, Utah. 'The World's Fastest Indian' tells the story of his eccentric but heartening journey, escapades and achievements.
New Zealander Roger Donaldson (of 'Dante's Peak' and 'Species') directs Welsh national treasure Anthony Hopkins as Munro, yet never do Hopkin's hearing-impaired leans to camera cause the "Oh My God It's Hannibal Lecter!" response. Instead he plays a quintessential 'good bloke' with a well-judged blend of blunt Kiwi crustiness and southern-hemisphere charm. If his mannerisms start to grate after a while that's all to the good: after all, this is a kind of biopic about a real person. With just a little poetic license it is essentially a true - and amazing - story and it doesn't give too much away to report that one of Burt's three world records still stands today!
As well as testament to the power of dreams (and to the incredible kindness of strangers - Burt sets out with astonishingly little in the way of resources and support) - this is pure 'road movie', complete with the memorable encounters essential to the genre. A recent book asked why road movies have such enduring appeal? The author analysed hundreds of examples, from 'Easy Rider' to 'Apocalypse Now' and 'Thelma & Louise' in a tome that runs to 288 pages. But if you want a neater answer, see 'The World's Fastest Indian' and give yourself a gently charming treat in the process.
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Adventure based on a true story starring Academy Award winner Anthony Hopkins. Burt Munro (Hopkins) was a man who never let the dreams of youth fade. After a lifetime of perfecting his classic 1920s Indian Scout motorcycle, Munro set out at the age of 68 to test his bike at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah with only a shoestring budget. With all the odds against him, he set a new land speed record and captured the spirit of his times.
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