Reflections on "We Are Marshall"

Ok, I just got home from ‘We Are Marshall’. I went on a recommendation of a friend in the Pittsburgh area and while I was planning to see the movie anyway, but her assessment of it urged me to go.

I saw the movie and I walked away a little disappointed. Now ‘We Are Marshall’ was not a bad movie, but for an event based on such a horrific tragedy, it felt like watching a Disney movie. Well, I’m sure the movie must have been cathartic for the citizens of Huntington, WV, but for me there was something just not right about it.

There did not see to be much flow, and the whole seemed to be disjointed and full of clichés. It’s hard to really dismiss the movie since it’s based on a tragedy; however, it seemed very empty, I was not swayed by it and the focus of the story was not there.

You don’t seem to learn about the people involved, and that’s mostly why I feel the movie didn’t reach its potential.

The only character who had any depth was Matthew Fox as Red Dawson, the assistance coach. Matthew McConaughey tried his best as the head coach, Jack Lengyel, but instead of focusing on the tragedy, he focuses on building a team which completely misses the boat and sort of cheapens the movie.

Sorry to be so negative, but ‘We Are Marshall” came off lacking in what I needed to be satisfied with it.

Thanks to Shawn for pointing out an error I made initially - I had named the town wrong (in error) and I guess that's what happens when you post at 2 in the morning...