User reviews

I spent many summers with my aunt, uncle and cousin in Huntington, WV and was at the University of Virginia in Nov 1970 when the plane carrying most of Marshall's football team crashed. It crashed just a few miles from their home.

While my school was 300 miles from Huntington many weekends I'd make the trip to Huntington to see my aunt & uncle.

Just a week before the accident my uncle and I saw one of their games - a home game playing Kent State - and it was such an eerie feeling for me to know that virtually everyone I saw on the field that day was gone in an instant.

I don't think it would be possible for any director to truly capture the level of grief in Huntington at that time, but this movie gave a pretty good glimpse inside.

While this movie is about the rebuilding of a football team that all but vanished, the greater message to me is how they kept building through their intense grief, and why that effort was important.

Almost everyone in my circle knew someone - or had a loved one - killed. A poster mentioned that some in Huntington don't like the film - everyone I know - including my cousin, felt that it really captured the time.

The Huntington Quarterly devoted an issue to describe the making of the movie, and how the actors met - and mingled - with members of the community. I believe that the community embraced the production crew.

Kate Mara's character, according to my cousin, is a composite of several actual individuals and the restaurant has a different name but everything else is factual. Incidentally I loved Kate's character.

Matthew McConaughey has said that it is the most meaningful movie he has done.

I have recommended it to all my friends.

This one blindsided me. With some of the worst reviews of the Christmas season I thought that this was going to be time wasted, instead I found one of the more enjoyable movies I've seen in along while. The first half hour of this film is a great capsule of the events leading to and aftermath of the plane crash that wiped out the 1970 Marshall football team. At that point the film shifts gears as Matthew McConaughey is brought in to rebuild the team and be its coach. A feel good movie thats more about rebuilding the cracked soul of a community than football (though football is front and center) this is a movie that works because of the characters, we care about them so we care about the story. Its also got a great pop score. Though far from perfect, and probably not "great", its a better than really good movie that the critics completely missed the boat on.

As sick as I am of football flicks this year I must admit I rather enjoyed this film. Mainly because of the great performance of its lead. He does a great job as the weird coach that is so offbeat and positive that this town that is healing from the biggest tragedy it has ever known,just does not know have to take him. Mcg also proves he can direct something that is not flashy and slick. It will be a great film for families to see together and it does a good job pulling on the old heartstrings. Matthew Fox also does great as the assistant coach who lived through it all and has many demons to face. WE ARE MARSHELL is the best film of its kind since Remember the Titans.

I'm not sure I comprehend critics calling the film "predictable". OF COURSE going into the film one knows the entire premise of the film... Anyhow... the film does an excellent job of portraying the effect of the plane crash on a variety of characters. Both Fox and Straithairn are particularly moving. McConaughey's character is somewhat goofy, but his performance is believable. It is one of the better sports films I've seen of late and puts films like "Invincible" and "Glory Road" to shame.

Remember the Titans- 9/10 Brian's Song (the original version)- 8.5/10 We Are Marshall- 8/10 Hoosiers- 7.5/10 Rudy- 7/10 Invincible- 5/10 Glory Road- 4/10

My family and I saw We Are Marshall Christmas night. I grew up in a Marshall family (Mom & Dad, M.U. grads; my oldest sister was in school at M.U. at the time of the plane crash, as well as her future husband). Dad worked in the newspaper business at the time; and my mom's father passed away the night of the crash (while we were glued to radio and T.V. reports from Huntington.)

A year later, I was fortunate enough to see the Xavier game portrayed in the film at Fairfield Stadium in person. It is still the single most heart-stirring moment in sports I've ever been around.

Attending Marshall myself just a few short years after the tragedy, we cheered for first downs by the Thundering Herd and agonized through fighting to be just competitive. Not all were mindful of the journey.

The film seems to capture the shock of the crash on the school and the community and the hopelessness both experienced in the times immediately following the crash. Due to time restrictions and to keep the story moving, the struggle to come up with representative football players was kind of oversimplified in the film, but the men who did play in those years are just as important as the heroes of the winning era at Marshall decades later. Not sure if the real Jack Lengyel was as tongue in cheek as portrayed in the movie, but it seems to work.

I think the movie will grow on people across the country not familiar with the story or who had no ties to Marshall/Huntington, in the vein of Hoosiers or Remember The Titans. My wife and sons have heard about it for years...that's why we wanted to experience the movie together.

The most incredible sports story I'll ever witness. I thought about the 75 when Marshall played in Detroit in the Motor City Bowl in 1999 and finished in the top 10 in the country. I think about them every time I visit the Marshall Student Center and see the 1970 team picture on the wall. I knew their names from the newspaper stories and the radio coverage of the era. It is quite a personal memory for me, and one I know I share with thousands, and now, many, many more.

I hate football, but I loved this movie! I went to see it because Nate Ruffin was my Supervisor for several years and was the most supportive, understanding human being I've ever known. He often told anyone who would listen how his life took a downward spiral after the crash because he felt so guilty for surviving. But he got his life together and decided the best way he could honor his former teammates was to be an inspiration to others, and he was more than that! Anthony Mackie portrayed Nate wonderfully and caught his spirit of leadership and caring! Nate knew from experience what hardship could do to a person's life and used his story to help many of us through major upheavals in our lives.

The movie matched much of what Nate told us throughout the years, and I think he would be ecstatic that the story was finally told and told this well!

It's 1970. After a tough lose, the Marshall University football team is returning home to Huntington, W.V. The plane crashes killing everyone on board. Injured Nate Ruffin (Anthony Mackie) didn't play and Red Dawson (Matthew Fox) takes a last-minute recruiting trip. Both misses the plane ride and survives. Cheerleader Annie Cantrell (Kate Mara) loses her boyfriend. The next spring, the town is struggling and football is about to be suspended. Ruffin rallies the students. President Don Dedman (David Strathairn) struggles to find anyone to coach and Jack Lengyel (Matthew McConaughey) applies out of the nowhere.

Director McG is more restraint visually than normal although he isn't pulling anything back with the sentimental melodrama. This is all played with every heart string at the highest note filled with every cliché. Considering the subject, there is probably no other way to make this. My one main complaint is that the movie needs one lead character to focus on. However, I also do understand the need to spread the commiseration around. The acting is solid and flamboyant McConaughey injects a bit of energy. The film has that sepia tone to heighten the 70s look and McG fills it with era music. The movie is a fully formed tribute but not necessarily a great movie.

I graduated from Marshall University and grew up in Huntington, West Virginia, where the movie takes place, which of course, made this movie especially meaningful to me. I drove 300 miles to see the Premiere in Huntington two days ago, and the audience actually clapped during certain scenes, laughed quite a few times, and there wasn't a dry eye in the house at the end. Though it was extremely poignant for us West Virginians because there were people in the audience whose family members died in that horrible plane crash in 1970, and one of my high school friends was actually there at the crash site with her father who was a State Trooper, and I know other people who lost someone. However, aside from all that, this movie is extremely uplifting. When you are faced with such a horrendous tragedy as losing 75 people, 55 of whom were members of your football team with only a handful of players left as well as the head coach and family members of the football players and other university faculty, etc., it is completely devastating! I remember seeing scenes of the crash on TV, and it was horrible. And then to rebuild a team from scratch when no one even wanted to coach the Thundering Herd (Marshall's football team)? That's totally amazing!

And the way they went about it was ingenious! I didn't know a lot of the details of what happened after the crash or how hard it was to rebuild the team because I was 5 years old at the time, but the director/producer McG, the writer and all the actors really give you a sense of the horrendous loss that my hometown experienced and how they really did rise from the ashes to honor their teammates who perished on November 14, 1970. Even if you're not a sports fan, this movie shows the indelible spirit of the human condition and what you can accomplish if you really give 110%. Matthew McConauhey, Anthony Mackie and Matthew Fox and the entire cast gave absolutely incredible performances, and after the film ended Matt M and Matt Fox were both so choked up they could barely speak. And I guarantee that people who are not a little emotional after watching this film, then those folks didn't "see" what I saw--an Oscar-Winning film whether it gets nominated or not!

Lynne Logan Novelist/Screenwriter and very grateful fan of "We Are Marshall"

This was a great movie, not a superb one but good. The action was on par, the emotions were st great. But this movie is not about that it is about what happened to that team and how the school was changed. It is a feel good story at the end that makes you want to cry but feel good at the same time. I was surprised that Matthew McConaughey was able to play a role as important as this one. But he played as he should have the coach that would not stop and keep pushing his team to the top to give the town and school and kids something good for a change. I also thought Matthew Fox played good coming off such roles as Lost. Every scene in this movie is a good performance and gives you something to think about. And everyone plays there part as if they are the real people from that town.

There is a good lesson taught in this movie to never give up no matter how bad things get you can always refurbish yourself. This is a good movie to bring your kids to, it is not scary but it will be sad at how realistic they made it seem. Also it is another good sports football genre movie along side Remember The Titans and Rudy. So I recommend you to bring your family to this movie and you will not be disappointed at the least. I give this movie a 7 out of 10.

Wow...I just got back from a preview showing of "We Are Marshall," and I am still in shock I'll admit it, I originally only went to see this movie to see Matthew Fox. I mean I like football, but normally I wouldn't go to the theaters to see a movie on it. I expected it to be like a lot of sports movies--good, but repetitive and forgettable. However, I was completely wrong. The movie is excellent on so many levels. The acting is extremely good. Matthew Mcconaughey is extremely likable as the head coach, Matthew Fox is incredible as the assistant coach (especially his emotional scenes), and so is the supporting cast. The film itself is just extremely well-made as a whole, and extremely touching and moving.

Right now, I feel really bad that the movie hasn't gotten more buzz than it has. It was one of the best movies i've seen in a long time. I am surprised that it didn't get nominated for any Golden Globes because it really is probably better than a lot of the movies that got nominated. But really, it is an extremely good movie, and not just your typical, cliché, sports movie. It was such a nice surprise, and I am really glad i decided to see it.

The year of 2006 had three football movies..."The Gridiron Gang", "Invinsible", and "We are Marshall". Having seen the first two earlier in the year, I was not that excited for We are Marshall. I went in expecting a decent but cliché football movie.

I was wrong. We are Marshall is not another cliché football movie...it is so much more than that. The movie is definitely sad, as well it should be...throughout the movie, regardless of all the positive things that are occurring, you are often reminded that the plane crash is still in the characters' minds, and no matter what happens with their rebuilding the football team, that will haunt them forever. This isn't one of those movies where something bad happens and then it is healed.

Go see We are Marshall...will you be depressed? I was not...I left the theater calmly in deep thought. Will you be touched? I would say so.

"We Are Marshall" delivers from both an emotional standpoint as well as a story of substance. Matthew Fox and Anthony Mackie clearly shine as the best actors in this film. As a Marshall University alum and Huntington resident, I was concerned that movie-goers unaffiliated with Marshall and the city of Huntington, WV would experience the same heart wrenching feeling of loss for the 1970 Thundering Herd football team that I did. But after viewing it twice, I feel confident that audiences will embrace this story that is rooted so deeply in the Huntington community. Matthew McConaughey delivers an "awe-shucks" portrayal of Coach Jack Lengyel and at times is overshadowed by his supporting cast. Director McG deserves high praise for turning an average script into an emotional powerhouse. Well done! "We Are Marshall" scores winning marks.

I love sports movies. You generally know how they are going to turn out. They always catch that pass at the last second, or hit that home run with two out in the bottom of the ninth to win the game, but that doesn't spoil them for me. It is that coming back from the bottom that really inspires.

Coming back from the tragedy that struck Marshall was a seemingly impossible task. It wasn't just a football program that needed to be rebuilt, but a whole town that needed to believe again. It made for an inspiring story.

Matthew McConaughey was the right pick to play the coach. He just seems right in that position. Besides that, he knows how to survive impossible odds (U-571, A Time to Kill).

David Strathairn (The Bourne Ultimatum, Good Night, and Good Luck) is one of my favorites, and I think he did an incredible job here.

The only disappointment I have with this film is the fact that some people thought that Talladega Nights was a better sports film. Are they on crack?

An upbeat, positive feel-good sports movie that will also appeal to non-sports fans. Fun and hopeful without being sentimental. The audience was reluctant to leave the theater when it was over -- they wanted the movie to continue. An uplifting movie based on actual events. The tragic, shocking plane crash that killed 75 people is deftly handled off screen. The director showed commendable restraint in not creating a gory crash scene. Instead, the film focuses on the emotional trauma the crash inflicts on the entire town. The only injuries graphically portrayed in the film occur on the football field. This film emphasizes the fact that you don't have to win a bowl game, to be a winner. Okay, there is about 60 seconds near the end that is over-sentimental, but I guess the director was entitled. Be sure to stick around for shots of the movie stars with their real-life counterparts.

I saw this film on November 21st, 2006 in Indianapolis. I am one of the judges for the Heartland Film Festival's Truly Moving Picture Award. A Truly Moving Picture "…explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life." Heartland gave that award to this film.

This film is based on a true and tragic story. On November 14th, 1970, the Marshall University football team, football coaches, athletic staff, key alumni, and friends were flying home to Huntington, West Virginia after an away game against East Carolina. Their plane crashed killing all seventy five (75) aboard.

How do a University and a small town of 50,000 people respond to a massive tragedy that affected so many students and town residents? This movie is about their struggle to come to grips with that tragedy.

Without bitter rancor and with humility, some felt the University should start up a new football team and persevere through a long rebuilding process to honor the dead. Others, again without rancor and with humility, believed that starting up a football team would be too painful a reminder of the tragedy.

It was decided to start a new football team immediately and play the next season in 1971. This movie is primarily about the difficulties of the development of the team.

Matthew McConaughey plays the new Head Coach brilliantly and believably. He is a combination of country bumpkin enthusiastic huckster and a wise man. And he does it simply because he believes – "Maybe I can help." He displays courage and perseverance and makes sacrifices with a career move that could throw him out of his beloved profession, head football coaching, forever.

The town and University have to quickly break the Vince Lombardi-like notion that you play the game of football for one reason only – to win. They learn how you play the game matters, and even simply showing up is a kind of victory too.

This is a compelling story well told and very moving.

FYI – There is a Truly Moving Pictures web site where there is a listing of past Truly Moving Picture Award winners that are now either at the theater or available on video.

"We Are Marshall" is a true story about the tragic plane crash containing almost the entire school's football team back in 1970 and the aftermath that followed (as aftermaths do).

In 1970, the Marshall Football Team chartered a plane back home after a game and the plane crashed into trees not far from their destination. The small community is rocked and everyone is impacted in a great way. After the initial grieving, the school must decide if it will field a team the next year. At first the feeling is to bypass the new season as nearly all the squad has gone, but a few of the remaining players push to do all they can to field a team. They hire coach Jack Lengyel (McConaughey, in a strong, charming performance) to assemble a team and soon find many supporters who will help them get on their feet, notably the NCAA who change a rule for them and their rival school, who assists with some resources. The story focuses on Jack, returning coach Red (Matthew Fox from that stupid "Lost" show) and a few of the players who missed the trip due to injury or suspension. It soon becomes clear though they face a huge challenge to be competitive and not embarrass the school. Will they prove to be a Cinderella story or will they suck? A solid movie and a little different to what you may expect from the genre. Fox, McConaughey and David Strathairn are all solid but we don't get to know too much about the players, and the actors who play them seem a little out of their comfort zone. A great story and worth seeing.

The critics seem to be trashing this movie, but for those of us who grew up in Huntington, WV, it was an amazing story and an incredible movie. I laughed, cried, cheered, and then cried some more. I have never been more proud of my hometown. This is not just a story about football. I'm sure you will hear that more than once. It is a story about getting back on your feet. Even when you think things are at their worst. This is a point the critics seem to miss. They compare it to Invincible and other football movies. Don't listen. GO SEE THIS MOVIE! I believe you will love it too! Even if you are not from Huntington, you will be able to relate if you have ever lost someone close. As one of the other posters put it...We are...Marshall!!! Go Herd!

I was too young to comprehend the news of the disastrous accident in 1970 but I still recalled it with ease when I 1st heard of this movie. It's an enormous story to attempt, certainly rich in real-life drama. The movie abjectly honors the memory of those lost in this tragedy, and it attempts to make us all feel what it must have been like to endure it for all the families and friends. It has some fine motivational speeches, it oozes with heart. It's your tear jerker. It's uneven though. Some quiet scenes are splendid, the dramatic scenes, not so.

The plot followed the stories of grief thru the eyes of several couples and players. Director McG adores extreme close-up shots of faces and eyes. So the two handsome Matts acting skills were tested. They both did very well. Also fine performances from David Straithairn, as the President of the University, and Anthony Mackie, as a tough corner-back who did not make the flight due to an injury. Ian McShane seemed to have tears in his eyes in every shot. Kate Mara was also lovely and admirable as the fiancé of McShane's lost son.

The music of the film was one part great sixties pop hits and two parts weepy violins and pianos which would serve well as the score for "The Titanic II" . It's lovely music but it was cloyingly used as the barometer of good times and bad times. One sub-plot that doesn't really help is of the forlorn player who felt he cheated death and let his team down with no chance for redemption.

The movie picks up when the two Matts start to recruit and rebuild the team. Overcomeing many obstacles including the NCAA, they get some help from unexpected places.

I'm a football fan so I expected good game action. That doesn't happen. Instead, everything is in super slow motion, again so close up you can't follow any of the natural ebb and flow of the sport. When the football hangs in the air during the hail Mary passes, the band swells, McG cuts to every key face in the story, time and belief are suspended as gravity fails. Some might call that movie magic but I'd advise the director to place more trust in the game of football. Remember the scene when "The Natural's" hyper-dramatic home run sets off the fireworks at the end of that "baseball" movie? These overblown dramatics just weaken the scenes.

The good citizens of West Virginia are the true stars of this movie, the true herd, the real thing, an American team.

I was lucky enough to see an advanced screening of 'We Are Marshall' for audience research purposes therefore being part of the first audience in Britain to see the film.

We were given a brief plot description when offered the tickets which didn't interest me to be honest (I was more interested in seeing a free film!) So when I went to see it I didn't know what to expect, just that apparently it is supposed to be very good and quite emotional.

I was pleased to see that it managed to live up to that, as coming out of the cinema I felt it managed to stand by what I heard in being a very good film, in fact I would go so far as to say brilliant. Staying behind for a quick discussion about the film for research purposes, two people (including myself) rated the film as 'excellent', four rated it 'very good' and two (somewhat miserable and stubborn) people rated it 'good'.

In my opinion, the film manages to portray the death of the football team in a tasteful and respectful way, showing the emotions of the characters in the way the town cared for the team. However, shortly after the plane crash I felt that the film stumbled into a very slow and boring corner. Luckily about twenty minutes later, the film manages to pick up very well. I found the remaining hour of the film very enjoyable and emotional, with a few humorous lines from Matthew McConaughey.

I was also very pleased to see how well Matthew Fox managed starring in a feature film. Being only fifteen, my only knowledge of Fox is Jack form 'Lost'. I feel that he managed to play the character of Red very well - very quickly in the film, the role of Jack was soon forgotten.

The ending to the film is done very well and manages to keep you in suspense, despite a quite predictable result. I was also quite surprised how little knowledge of the game football is needed. Being English, I can't say I have ever seen a game of 'American' Football, let alone understand the rules - I found myself thoroughly enjoying the action packed games despite knowing nothing of the sport.

All in all, in my opinion this is a very, very good film which I strongly recommend. As said, I found a part of the film rather dull but felt 'We Are Marshall' delivered a second half so good, I soon forgot about it.

Go see this film!

"We Are Marshall" is a truly moving and enjoyable film. And as far as the sports movie genre goes, the film is better because it's based on a true story. Think of it as being "Brian's Song" multiplied by the tragic deaths of seventy-five people. You know how sports announcers will say "Boy, if you saw this plot in a movie, you wouldn't believe it!"? A film like "We Are Marshall" is proof. Had this been a completely fictional film, it would rate much, much lower. But reality based it is and that gives it a free pass when it comes to all of the obvious clichés. Clichés with lines like "I know what you have inside. You've shown it to me" when coach Lengyel addresses the team before the first home game, or the standard issue slow motion game scenes that every sports film made over the past 30 years uses to heighten the drama. Mostly, the fact that it's a true story helps how predictable the outcomes of the games will be. You'll know just how much you like this film when you root for the team in spite of the fact you already know how the games will end. I did wonder about the reality of one thing. The portrayal of Coach Lengyel as being so quirky and eccentric. Perhaps it's a dead on depiction, but it got to be almost too much at times. If was a true reflection of the man though, then OK. Overall, a real feel good football movie that is very much worth watching. In fact, while you're at it, rent "We Are Marshall" along with "Brian's Song" and "Rudy". It makes a great trilogy!

When I decided to watch this movie I guessed what it would be like and it didn't let me down.A totally over sentimental load of tripe.

Firstly,I am from the UK and I don't like American Football at all.It's like looking at an olive to me.It looks promising but when you have a taste of it you realise that it's pretty awful. The fact that it was based around American Football didn't put me off .If a film is good it doesn't matter what the subject matter is.What really put me off was the way almost every scene ended up with tears welling up in eyes and then the emotional music crept in.I cannot abide movies like this which fully intend to make you cry all the time and this movie was one of the very worst of it's type.

It was a truly awful experience sitting through this mush and I am amazed at some of the very positive reviews this film has had.It was tedious,tried way too hard to tug at the heartstrings and was incredibly predictable.You could almost guess every scene in the movie.Oh yes,Matthew McConaughey was really annoying in this and quite what that fine actor Ian McShane was doing in this drivel is beyond me.No wonder he looked bored stiff.

I know that it is based on a true story and what happened was a tragedy on a large scale.This saccharine attempt to tell this deeply moving story failed massively because of it's attempts to grab hold of the viewers emotions in a not very subtle way.The worst film I have seen since 'Hostel' and that's saying something.I only gave this three stars because it started promisingly.Boy did it go downhill rapidly.