We Are Marshall (2006)

Not enough football - too much melancholy

"We are Marshall" is the true story of the rebuilding of the Marshall football team after the tragic 1970 plane crash that killed most of the team. Matthew McConaughey stars as the gutsy coach who takes the position and Jack from Lost costars as his assistant coach.

On the outset, this looks like a great movie - true story about college football - it looks like Remember the Titans all over again. However, the big difference here is that a central part of the story revolves around the town and team dealing with the death of the team and playing in their shadow. Thus, the focus of the movie is not really football like you might have hoped for, but rather death and moving on. It was actually kind of depressing.

The end did have some decent football, but it was too little and far too slow in coming. There was also a fun scene involving a young Bobby Bowden, but his role is limited. Overall, I would not recommend this movie.

Side Note: The movie is directed by someone who just refers to himself as "McG". That should have been a warning sign to me. July 25, 2008

Motivating. Inspiring. Touching.

When I first heard about this movie, I was skeptical. A few months later, I decided to buy and watch it for the first time.

Truth be known, this is a moving movie. There are times when you laugh and there are times when you cry. I don't ever recalling a sports movie that touched me so much.

Whoever watches it won't regret it either.
July 14, 2008

Marshall, You Look Marvelous!

I had never heard of Marshall University until that chartered plane went down in the West Virginia foothills in the autumn of 1970. I recall how very sad I was upon hearing of this tragedy, and I wondered how the school--how the town that nurtured it--would recover. . .or if it would ever recover. So when I learned of this film, I became intrigued; either WE ARE MARSHALL would fall flat on its face as superficial and phony, or it would effectively pay a poignant, lasting tribute to the school, to Huntington, and to those who played a part in restoring its football program.

I've never seen any footage of head coach Jack Lengyel, but based on Matthew McConaughey's quirky, eccentric behavior in his portrayal of the man called upon to rebuild Marshall's program, Lengyel is clearly one in a million. McConaughey is funny, a tad odd, and wonderfully inspiring; he is totally believable as a head coach working through the trials and tribulations of putting together a staff, hanging on to the few players who didn't make the fateful trip, and recruiting dozens of new players. I've seen several films featuring this actor, and this is by far his best role.

Yet WE ARE MARSHALL features several exceptional performances, including Anthony Mackie as cornerback and team captain Nate Ruffin. Missing the ill-fated flight due to injury, Nate was devastated by the tragedy, yet determined to lead the fight to get another team back on the field as soon as possible. Also noteworthy is David Straithairn as humble, soft-spoken school President Don Dedmon, a man just a bit in over his head in dealing with the NCAA for permission to allow freshmen to play. Ian McShane and Matthew Fox cause a few tears to fall, too.

This film brings back the Seventies in all its vibrant, gaudy colors, augmented by a slick musical score that restores an avalanche of memories. And finally, WE ARE MARSHALL boasts one of the most moving cinematic scenes ever--when Marshall's student body confronts a board of governors voting to suspend the football program. You will really feel chills racing up and down your spine, and a lump in your throat, yet compelled to stand up and cheer this inspirational, exceptional movie.
--D. Mikels, Author, Walk-On
June 24, 2008

beautiful, inspiring and incredibly sad

I highly recommend watching this beautiful, inspiring and incredibly sad film about a town in West Virginia that lost its college football team and most of the coaches in a horrific plane crash and how an outsider helped them rebuild and keep the spirits of the lost players alive.

In 1970, after losing a game to an East Carolina University, the Thundering Herd boarded their chartered plane to head home. Assistant Coach Red Dawson gave up his seat so one of the team's recruiters could get home to see his granddaughter's recital. They were so close to home and I'm not really sure from watching the film why but the plane crash landed into an inferno a mile short of the runway. There were no survivors. Seventy-five people died.

Many thought that was the end of the football program at Marshall University but a union of students and townspeople convinced President Dedmon he had to give it a go at building up a team that meant so much to this small town. His first job was to find a new coach but no one wanted to take on what was really a no-win situation. Then one day he receives a call from Jack Lengyel, a strange but honest coach from an obscure town who wanted to see what he could do to help the people of Huntington heal. With the help of surviving coach Red Dawson and the remaining senior players they set about building up a team from nothing.

I would have liked to learned more about the past and replacement players. I felt the only real player we got to know was Nate Ruffin the Captain. But I understand there's only so much that can be committed to a 1 1/2 - 2 hour film. Regardless it is still highly charged with emotion and you are sure to be cheering from within: We are, Marshall!

This film is about hope, grieving, rebuilding and the unity of a town brought together by the sport of football. Notable performances include Matthew Mcconaughey as Coach Jack Lengyel, Matthew Fox as Coach Red Dawson, David Strathairn as President Dedmon, Anthony Mackie as Nate Ruffin and Kate Mara as Annie Cantrell (who also affectionately narrates). May 5, 2008

From the ashes to the glory: and far beyond!

November 14 1970 was a very sad day in Virginia. A fatal aerial accident took away the entire team and hard fans of this beautiful and warmth city.

So, in this messy and uninspired state of things, the slow breadth will begin to reconstruct from the ashes of the memory, piece by piece, the epic effort to give them back another team, another opportunity to exhibit with legitimate pride, the honor and the glory of these fallen gladiators.

Matthew McConaughey plays the role of the couch that will make the best he can in order to reestablish the vanished glory and the passion for winning. So the film shows us the entire different stages of this process. He will have to face the most difficult and unthinkable obstacles; the sad memories, the sorrow of having missed a beloved being, on one hand and on the other, to rescue the spirit of fight in the team.

A true lesson of life and epic resistance against the odds. I would not hesitate to label as the best sport movie after the well reminded Hoosiers.

Don't miss it!
April 14, 2008

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