Not great, but hard to dislike

Rating: 6/10 (25 September 2014)

Not a great movie, but hard to dislike. Fairly conventional against- all-odds sports movie, with a tragedy as background. Furthermore, it feels overwrought. Everything is over-dramatized and over- sentimentalized. The director blatantly manipulates the audience with syrupy sentiment and grandiose gestures.
However, it is difficult to dislike. The whole pulling-oneself-up-by- one's-bootstraps plot is well done, and given due attention. There is also an emotional impact of the team's progress. And who doesn't like a good sports story, especially when it's based on a true story...?
Solid performance by Matthew McConaughey in the lead role. Good support from Matthew Fox, Anthony Mackie, David Strathairn, Kate Mara and Ian McShane.