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Movie Review - We Are Marshall (2006)
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(What this rating means)
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| Director: |
McG |
| Starring: |
Matthew McConaughey, Matthew Fox, Anthony Mackie, David Strathairn, and Ian McShane |
| Rated: |
PG (for emotional thematic material, a crash scene, and mild language) |
| Length: |
127 minutes |
| Genre: |
Sports Drama |
| Tagline: |
From the ashes we rose |
| Studio: |
Warner Bros. |
| Website: |
We Are Marshall |
| Release: |
December 22, 2006 |
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PLOT
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When a plane crash claims the lives of members of the Marshall University football team and some of its fans, the
team's new coach (McConaughey) and his surviving players try to keep the football program alive. Marshall ensues.
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JOHNNY'S TAKE
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WE ARE ... MARSHALL! WE ARE ... MARSHALL!
THIS IS ... WHAT YOU'D EXPECT! THIS IS ... WHAT YOU'D EXPECT!
Soaring music, inspirational speeches, overcoming the odds - it's all here, and yes, we've seen it before.
But why does familiarity always have to be treated with contempt? This is a great, true story - one that
certainly deserved to be told.
An entire community was devastated when that plane crashed, and they had to figure out how to heal. Should they
temporarily suspend the football team? Would continuing it be an honor or a disgrace? Both sides offered
legitimate viewpoints.
Rising from the ashes is never easy, and the Marshall football team was given no exception. Coach Lengyel (who didn't
look anything like Matthew McConaughey in real life) took over a completely bare cupboard, and he had hardly any
time with which to restock the team. Things were so desperate that he had to scout other sports teams at the
University for players he could possibly use, regardless of whether they had ever played football or not.
But he was determined to do what he could to help the community overcome their situation, and that's really what the
movie's all about. This is more than just a story concerning football or tragedy; it's a real world example of how
one community faced a terrible loss and discovered how to overcome it.
Beware of McConaughey's weird side-mouth talking. I assume that's how the real coach talked, but it takes a
little getting used to. It looks like he constantly has a dip of tobacco in his mouth. Oh well, it's not a big
deal. Ol' double M does a good job of keeping things light and humorous. He works great as the outsider who is
able to help put everything into perspective.
So fellas, it's your turn to bring the Kleenex. Ladies, y'all had The Holiday
recently, so it's payback time - concede defeat and come with your fella. But let's be honest - you gals don't
have anything to complain about when you've got a movie with both Matthew McConaughey and Matthew Fox prancing
around in tight, polyester football shorts. No whining, please.
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ODDS & ENDS
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- 75 people died in the crash.
- The film does a good job of showing the impact of the crash without actually showing the crash.
- Marshall lost more games in the 70s than any other football team, compiling only 23 wins in 10 years.
- However, they were the winningnest team in the 90s with a 114-25 record.
- Marshall won NCAA I-AA championships in 1992 and 1996.
- I started to feel a little bad about always referring to Marshall as "The Thundering Turd," but then I remembered
how they beat us 41-27 this year and I don't feel so bad.
- The film does a good job of showing what a class-act Bobby Bowden is. Bowden is currently the Florida State
head coach, but at the time he was the head coach at West Virginia.
- McConaughey says this movie is not "based on" or "inspired by" a true story - he says the movie IS the true
story.
- I wrote something in my notes that looks like "G, B, 8, U." HUH?!?! I have no idea what I was thinking.
Any clues?
- Matthew Fox was in Behind the Mask with Donald Sutherland who was in Cold Mountain with
Giovanni Ribisi who is in The Dead Girl with Josh Brolin who was in Hollow Man with Kevin Bacon.
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MAMA'S APPROVAL
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There are a few "s" bombs, but overall the profanity and content is pretty mild. Things may be a little too tense
and dramatic for the pre-teens.
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TRAILER COMPARISON
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The trailer is definitely a good gauge of what to expect.
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THE GIST
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We Are Marshall is solid entertainment for those of you who like sports drama or inspirational stories about
overcoming tragedy.
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