He bore a striking resemblance to the real Prefontaine, also adopting the athlete's voice and upright running style.[19] His portrayal received positive reviews from critics and is often considered his breakthrough role.[20][21] Peter Stack of the San Francisco Chronicle noted how Leto played the athlete with raw vitality; "With hypnotic blue eyes and dirty blond hair, Leto captures the rock-star style Prefontaine affected, and he looks natural in fiery performances on the track, as well as off, where Pre affected a brash, confrontational style.