A Knight's Tale 2001

Seen late, 20 years after its release, maybe that's why I have a hard time seeing it as a classic like many people do.

Generally, it's fun. Story is simple and straightforward, and of course you fell compelled to root for this peasant defying nobles.
Acting is good, specially Bettany (!), Leger and Tudyk.

But still some issues.

Basic principle is that this kid, with absolutely no training or experience, is just naturally the best knight ever. Apart from a short sequence "training" with his non-knight, not even soldiers, zero experience companions in the beginning, there is no point in the story ever where he's shown working for this skill.
Notably in the last tournament, not only is he good, but he is so good that he can win with a HUGE handicap. Not sure how these tournaments work, it's not by elimination or he would be instantly out, so probably who gets the more points. And in manages to win while starting very much in the negative...

Mainly, what a fucking asshole ! He's there, pushing, blackmailing his friends to achieve his dream. He gets all the honor and fame, the good life, palace banquets, flirting with princesses, and even getting an official knighthood in the end, while they're doomed to just stay peasants and basically serve him.
And he's pushing them, repeatedly, like a child throwing a tantrum, with no thought at all for their lives and safety.
Until he's fixated on one thing: beating Adhemar. Throwing away the money, the good life, his friends' lives, not even caring about being a knight or winning tournaments. Just like a child obsession because the guy provoked him as in a school's playground. GROW THE FUCK UP !
And it's even worse in his interactions with Jocelyn.

The "love story" is super cringe. Sees a hot girl in the street, basically stalks her and whistles her. Then keeps going until he gets her. When she gets a bit closer he basically tells her to fuck off cause she's just a stupid woman. Yet she stills comes running after an "I miss you" letter (that does not seem to contain any apology for his awful behavior by the way).
Lol at the scene where she says "she sees the real him", because, yes, she did. When he told her to her face that she was stupid. Then she came back because of the letter (definitely not the real him, not even written by him) followed by the church scene where she can again directly see the real him: incapable of providing what she's asking, proving that the letter was certainly not him, clearly stating that she's inferior, again throwing a tantrum and rushing out.

It's kinda hard to appreciate when the main character is such a fucking piece of shit.

"You have been weighed, you have been measured, and you have been found wanting. In what world could you possibly beat me?"</B

I think this was one of the first movies I ever bought on DVD with my own money and I think if I remember it correctly, have only watched it like twice? I always knew Heath Ledger starred in A Knight's Tale but I totally forgot about Alan Tudyk. That guy is so much fun! Enjoyed him here a lot.

What I also never forgot about was the scene with the Queen song "We Will Rock You" and I doubt I ever will. It never annoyed me that they've used music from our time instead of a middle ages soundtrack. I thought it was fun. Even the fashion Jocelyn (Shannyn Sossamon) wears was a fun look. What I also really enjoyed were the Jousting scenes. It looked really well. And damn that was some Nike armor!

A Knight's Tale might be a bit long with it 132 minute runtime but it is a fun trip to the middle ages with a fun cast. They take it a bit too seriously but that never bothered me. All in all it was a fun trip down memory lane!