A Very Good Film That Tells A Very Inspiring Story

Rating: 8/10 (17 February 2007)

I have just seen "We Are Marshall" for the fourth time. The first three times I saw it I found the novelty of seeing locals being portrayed, as well as familiar locations being shown, on the big screen just a bit of a distraction. I won't bore you with the details of my life, but I am very close to this story. I have lived and worked in the Huntington area for my whole life, and attended both Marshall and Morehead State Universities.
For this fourth screening I decided to go alone and try to concentrate on the actual film. I can only say that it is a very good portrayal of an inspiring true story. Why this story was never told before is beyond me. All the elements are there. It is a story of triumph over adversity in the face of tremendous odds. It required little in the way of apocrypha to move the story along. I assume that Ian McShane's character was needed to give the opposition to fielding the 1971 team a face, but this could have been handled differently.
I would have liked to see this film get a nomination or two from the Golden Globes or the Academy. Matthew Fox turned in a performance that will probably not be given the recognition it is due until later on. I would say when looked at in retrospect, most critics will ask why he did not get a nomination in a supporting role. The same can be said for David Strathairn.
When I heard that McG was directing, I was concerned that he couldn't pull this off. I am impressed with how he handled the subject matter. I am quite pleased with the maturity and sensitivity he showed. I can't say the direction was Oscar-worthy, but I think it deserved a lot more positive feedback than I have seen from critics. It proves that he should not be pigeon-holed as a director who can only do action films. If this film is any indication, McG will soon get his due.
Please take your family to see this film. I think you will be glad that you did.