We Are Marshall (C+ or 2.5/4 stars)
When a plane crash claims the lives of members of West Virginia's Marshall University football team, the team's new coach, Jack Lengyel (an intermittently pleasing AND unfortunately annoying Matthew McConaughey), and his surviving players try to keep their legacy & the football program alive. 'We Are Marshall', directed by McG, is uplifting & inspiring. But it's filming of the actual football sequences is frenzied. And though I'm not aiming to disrespect the unfortunates who perished in 1970 (not by a long shot), I'm just not buying the sentimental, formulaic film which 'honors' them.
On November 14, 1970, the Thundering Herd varsity football team, their coaches, some athletic staff, alumni, friends & family were flying home from an away game against East Carolina. Out of nowhere (and because of bad weather) the plane goes down in flames & all 75 people onboard were killed. The 1st half hour of the film is gut-wrenching & effective in showing the hurried rescue effort, the tumultuous flames in the woods, individual realizations that beloved human beings could have perished, and the residual effects ... weeks, even months after the huge loss. Huntington, West Virginia, 50,000 people strong, would have to face the tragedy & come to grips with what happened. 'We are Marshall' tells their story, & shows the struggles of the survivors both on AND off the field.
With humility, some feel that the University should start a new team. One such individual is a fellow teammate, Nate (a solid Anthony Mackie) who was injured & hadn't travelled to Carolina. He felt it would honor the deceased, & create a way to emotionally heal. Most people were too devastated, & thought it was too soon and/or too painful. But eventually, a decision to find a new coach & recruit goes through. Against the wishes of Paul Griffen (Ian McShane), father of the star player on the original team, the University President (David Strathairn) picks a gritty, but enthusiastic family man, Jack Lengyel (McConaughey), as the new coach. Once settled, Jack persuades Red Dawson (Matthew Fox, of Lost) ... the only living member of the original staff to assist. Throughout some trying moments in the film (when the new team is failing to win), Red is haunted with & eventually breaks down with survivor's guilt; Matthew Fox lends some powerful scenes here.
They drudge on. Jack enlists junior varsity players, existing players (such as Nate), & even a soccer player to help build a 1971 team. The team isn't very successful. But a rejuvenated town throws their heartbroken/heartwarming support behind the team as they 'try' to win by honoring the dead. {An interesting side note: Aside from the entire 1961 U.S. Figure Skating team perishing in a plane crash over Belgium, no other accident (than Marshall's team) had taken-out an entire sports organization before & after.} McG does a good job of switching gears & preventing the film from falling into the 'inherently sad' trap. There is melodrama everywhere, but it IS well-intended. There's lots of sentimentality, but it's in par with the actual story. And the impressive cast helps here. Honestly, this is a guy's movie; a buddie movie. And if you love football, it helps even more. Though I despise football, I can still analyze & enjoy a great film 'about' it.
Richard Roeper said of this film: "It takes what Glory Road & Invincible offered and steps it up a notch"; but, I actually disagree. It's just as paint-by-the-numbers as the other movies he mentioned. And while the subject matter in 'We Are Marshall' is automatically profound, the execution is fairly average, choppy, & dare I say corny, at times. Most of the dialogue spoken by great actors such as Strathairn, McShane, etc. ... is too scripted, too mannered. At 125 minutes, it's 20 minutes too long. And worst of all, the overbearing, loud, sappy musical score soars, bangs, descends, & exalts just when the film wants us to do exactly those things; it manipulates, just like any other sports movies. 'We Are Marshall' has its genuinely stellar moments, but it moves slow & can't escape mediocrity.
On November 14, 1970, the Thundering Herd varsity football team, their coaches, some athletic staff, alumni, friends & family were flying home from an away game against East Carolina. Out of nowhere (and because of bad weather) the plane goes down in flames & all 75 people onboard were killed. The 1st half hour of the film is gut-wrenching & effective in showing the hurried rescue effort, the tumultuous flames in the woods, individual realizations that beloved human beings could have perished, and the residual effects ... weeks, even months after the huge loss. Huntington, West Virginia, 50,000 people strong, would have to face the tragedy & come to grips with what happened. 'We are Marshall' tells their story, & shows the struggles of the survivors both on AND off the field.
With humility, some feel that the University should start a new team. One such individual is a fellow teammate, Nate (a solid Anthony Mackie) who was injured & hadn't travelled to Carolina. He felt it would honor the deceased, & create a way to emotionally heal. Most people were too devastated, & thought it was too soon and/or too painful. But eventually, a decision to find a new coach & recruit goes through. Against the wishes of Paul Griffen (Ian McShane), father of the star player on the original team, the University President (David Strathairn) picks a gritty, but enthusiastic family man, Jack Lengyel (McConaughey), as the new coach. Once settled, Jack persuades Red Dawson (Matthew Fox, of Lost) ... the only living member of the original staff to assist. Throughout some trying moments in the film (when the new team is failing to win), Red is haunted with & eventually breaks down with survivor's guilt; Matthew Fox lends some powerful scenes here.
They drudge on. Jack enlists junior varsity players, existing players (such as Nate), & even a soccer player to help build a 1971 team. The team isn't very successful. But a rejuvenated town throws their heartbroken/heartwarming support behind the team as they 'try' to win by honoring the dead. {An interesting side note: Aside from the entire 1961 U.S. Figure Skating team perishing in a plane crash over Belgium, no other accident (than Marshall's team) had taken-out an entire sports organization before & after.} McG does a good job of switching gears & preventing the film from falling into the 'inherently sad' trap. There is melodrama everywhere, but it IS well-intended. There's lots of sentimentality, but it's in par with the actual story. And the impressive cast helps here. Honestly, this is a guy's movie; a buddie movie. And if you love football, it helps even more. Though I despise football, I can still analyze & enjoy a great film 'about' it.
Richard Roeper said of this film: "It takes what Glory Road & Invincible offered and steps it up a notch"; but, I actually disagree. It's just as paint-by-the-numbers as the other movies he mentioned. And while the subject matter in 'We Are Marshall' is automatically profound, the execution is fairly average, choppy, & dare I say corny, at times. Most of the dialogue spoken by great actors such as Strathairn, McShane, etc. ... is too scripted, too mannered. At 125 minutes, it's 20 minutes too long. And worst of all, the overbearing, loud, sappy musical score soars, bangs, descends, & exalts just when the film wants us to do exactly those things; it manipulates, just like any other sports movies. 'We Are Marshall' has its genuinely stellar moments, but it moves slow & can't escape mediocrity.