Without Limits

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Without Limits

PG-13

1998

1h 57m

Biography

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

79%

Tomatometer

39 Reviews

91%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Before Steve Prefontaine (Billy Crudup) makes it to the 1972 Olympics in Munich, he is an unlikely track star at the University of Oregon. At school, after Steve initially clashes with coach Bill Bowerman (Donald Sutherland) over his style of front-running -- running the race at maximum speed from beginning to end -- he develops a strong bond with the man. Steve also has a profound effect on a beautiful co-ed named Mary (Monica Potter), who becomes the object of his affection.

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Critics Consensus

This drama about American track star and hero Steve Prefontaine intelligently looks at the character of this oft mythologized athlete and features a fantastic performance by Donald Sutherland as Prefontaine's trainer.

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Richard Schickel

TIME Magazine

Whether he would have won at the next Olympics, we'll never know. What we do know is that Towne, a man of ruefully romantic temperament, has found a soulmate in Steve Prefontaine.

Aug 5, 2008

Full Review

Todd McCarthy

Variety

With a very good part for a change, Sutherland invests the imposing Bowerman with a host of subtly expressed attitudes toward his most illustrious charge.

Aug 5, 2008

Full Review

Time Out

he understated cinematography by Conrad Hall and sterling work from Crudup and Sutherland lend a patina of class, yet it's in the end a po-faced film.

Jan 26, 2006

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Catherine Graham

Santa Cruz Sentinel

Dazzling, violent, star-driven thrill rides are routine. Finding an intelligent, well-written, old-fashioned movie-movie has become an event. Thus, it is a thrill to watch Without Limits.

Rated: A

Mar 25, 2020

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John A. Nesbit

Old School Reviews

intelligent character study of a mythologized athlete

Rated: B

Jul 24, 2011

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Caffeinated Clint

Brag Magazine

A brilliantly performed, gut-wrenchingly sad flick

Rated: 3/5

Feb 3, 2009

Full Review

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william s

As a fan of formulaic sports movies, I thought this was going to be right up my alley. But something about it didn't quite land. I know they can't really change the source material drastically, but it did feel like the choice to make his trip to the olympics the midpoint made the whole second half feel like an afterthought. It just didn't exactly work for me. Not the worst movie, but not something anyone needs to go out and see.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/10/25

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Del H

An inspirational sports movie and a biopic of one of those very rare athletes who inspires something in all of us.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/16/23

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Audience Member

Very bland and drab looking

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

09/12/23

Full Review

Audience Member

One of the most inspirational movies I've ever watched. Watch it quarterly.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

Full Review

steve d

Fairly forgettable despite the strong performances.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

excellent sports drama the storytelling is superb and really draws you in a must see if you haven't already

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

Full Review

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Robert Towne

Director

Billy Crudup

Steve Prefontaine

Donald Sutherland

Bill Bowerman

Monica Potter

Mary Marckx

Jeremy Sisto

Frank Shorter

Matthew Lillard

Roscoe Devine

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Synopsis

Before Steve Prefontaine (Billy Crudup) makes it to the 1972 Olympics in Munich, he is an unlikely track star at the University of Oregon. At school, after Steve initially clashes with coach Bill Bowerman (Donald Sutherland) over his style of front-running -- running the race at maximum speed from beginning to end -- he develops a strong bond with the man. Steve also has a profound effect on a beautiful co-ed named Mary (Monica Potter), who becomes the object of his affection.

Director: Robert Towne
Producer: Tom Cruise, Paula Wagner
Screenwriter: Robert Towne, Kenny Moore
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Production Co: Cruise-Wagner Productions
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Biography, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 11, 1998, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 24, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $777.4K
Runtime: 1h 57m
Sound Mix: Surround, DTS, SDDS, Dolby Digital

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