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Without Limits

Play trailer Poster for Without Limits PG-13 1998 1h 57m Biography Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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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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Without Limits

Without Limits

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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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Critics Reviews

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Richard Schickel TIME Magazine 08/05/2008
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. Go to Full Review Todd McCarthy Variety 08/05/2008
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. Go to Full Review Time Out 01/26/2006
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. Go to Full Review Catherine Graham Santa Cruz Sentinel 03/25/2020
A
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. Go to Full Review John A. Nesbit Old School Reviews 07/24/2011
B
intelligent character study of a mythologized athlete Go to Full Review Caffeinated Clint Brag Magazine 02/03/2009
3/5
A brilliantly performed, gut-wrenchingly sad flick Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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william s @SillyBommers 02/13/2025 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. See more Del H @RT20818837 10/16/2023 An inspirational sports movie and a biopic of one of those very rare athletes who inspires something in all of us. See more 09/12/2023 Very bland and drab looking See more 07/13/2020 One of the most inspirational movies I've ever watched. Watch it quarterly. See more steve d @RT35616104 07/06/2020 Fairly forgettable despite the strong performances. See more 10/25/2018 excellent sports drama the storytelling is superb and really draws you in a must see if you haven't already See more Read all reviews
Without Limits

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Cast & Crew

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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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Without Limits

Without Limits (1998) Without Limits (1998) Without Limits (1998) View more photos

Movie Info

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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