I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Many great reviews here, film is good, maybe not great, but good. But we feel MATTHEW FOX (as Coach Red Dawson) gave the best performance of all of them. Yes, through most of the characters here we feel the pain of the people, school, the town, the state. But Fox NAILS this role completely! He totally owns the 'emotional portrayal' of the loss that they all feel in each and every scene he's in - and each time he brings us to tears!As an example of one of our favorite scenes: Coach Dawson (Fox) is in the locker room after their first win, crying his eyes out, all alone. And then the elderly team janitor walks in and congratulates the coach on his win. But in an awe-inspiring moment, the coach then, in turn, congratulates {the janitor} on the TEAM's win ('congratulations to you too, Jimmy'). That simple statement is beautiful and priceless just in itself: Everyone plays a part, everyone is important to the team - even the 'lowly' janitor. This wonderful message permeates the film, and it will move you beyond belief when you recognize it for what it truly is . . ."You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him." — Malcolm S. Forbes

Watched We Are Marshall Featuring Featuring Matthew McCaughey (Syriana) as Jack Lengyel , Matthew Fox (Lost) as Red Dawson , David Strathairn (The Bourne Series) as Donald Dedmon, Ian McShane( Hot Rod) as Paul Griffen ,Kate Mara(Shooter) as Annie Cantrell , January Jones(Mad Men) as Carole Dawson , Anthony Mackie(Million Dollar Baby )as Nate Ruffin and Robert Patrick (T2:Judgement Day) as Rick Tolley. Unlike Most Sports Films this begins on a somber note after the death of 75 Marshall Players and Football the Whole Town and Marshall University is in disarray with some convincing by one of it's the Teams Captains The University begins to put a team together and hire a Division 2 head coach and so begins of the rebuilding of the Marshall Thundering herds Football Program. Mattew McCaughey does a great as portraying Jack Lengyel its still one of my favorite performances of his also the film is inspiring and has the theme of coming back stronger that makes you stand up and cheer. great Musical Score by Christophe Beck(Red),Production Design by Tom Meyer(Blue Crush).Costume Design By Danny Glicker(The Astronaut Farmer) and Direction By McG(Charlies Angels:Full Throttle) 8/10

This is the movie that motivated my nephew to choose Marshall as his school out of seven other choices including the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton. He made so many friends and the school spirit is so strong. It motivates people. My nephew is in his senior year and has so many great memories.I just saw the movie this year and I can understand now why my nephew chose Marshall University. It was so moving. From beginning to end, I was back in 1970. The acting was so outstanding I felt like I was part of the community.If anything, you must see it at least once. I highly recommend it.

Reader be warned that this could contain a spoiler. As it is based on a true story and all of the information is out there anyway, it is probably not; however, if you do not know the story then stop now. The film We Are Marshall is based on a true story. It is about the 1970 Marshall Football team that died in a plane crash, but it is also about so much more; this is a film is also about overcoming adversity. The film begins with the team and their coach as they lose a game against East Carolina University. After the loss, the team boards the plane to fly back to Huntington WV. Two of the coaches have a discussion about who will stay to do a recruiting visit and who will fly back with the team. Coach Red Dawson (Matthew Fox) ends up staying to do the visit. The plane crash happens very early in the movie because the movie is not really about the plane crash itself, but about what happens after that. Two of the recurring issues throughout the film are grief and survivors guilt. There is grief from the parents of players and families of the coaches and boosters who died in crash. Much of the story is about Annie (Kate Mara) who was the fiancée of the quarterback who died. Coach Dawson and one of the surviving players deal with survivor's guilt because they were both supposed to be on the plane. The university faces the decision of whether to try to field a team for the next season or to indefinitely suspend the program. There is a moving scene where the students of the university make it known to the board of trustees that they want the program to continue. Coach Jack Lengyel (Matthew McConaughey) contacts the university to let them know he is interested in the coaching position. A touching visit between the university president Donald Dedmon (David Strathairn) and the coach ensues. Coach Lengyel ends up leading the team to 2 victories that season. Marshall's football program does survive and thrives in the 1980s. This film is sad early on but develops into a feel-good football movie in the vein of The Blindside or Remember the Titans. One difference between We Are Marshall and those two movies is that they are both about overcoming issues off the field to accomplish great things on the field. This movie is about overcoming issues on the field to help resolve issues off the field. The movie does great at recreating the period and location of 1970's Huntington, WV. There is a scene where Coach Red is working on building a shed. He and coach Lengyel are standing atop the structure and you can get a glimpse of the scenery around them. I have been to the area and it did give the same feeling. Overall, a great movie that tells a story about a university and city that overcame great loss and found their way through the sport of football.