I am so burnt out on football films that I feel a heat inside begin to build every time we are given a new trailer for an upcoming football flick. I usually make it a point not to see these 'inspirational' stories based on 'something that might have happened if..', but have to admit that We Are Marshall is finding itself some strong word of mouth.
Early Reviews: We Are Marshall
The good people over at AICN have received two early reviews for We Are Marshall and both of them are positive.
And, yet, this film is different because Marshall is different.
The tactful recreation of these tragic events only constitute the opening ten minutes of “We Are Marshall”, but the resulting grief is palpable throughout. The remainder of the film recounts the struggle to rebuild the team in the face of strong dissention. Is it a noble attempt to honor the memory of the fallen teammates and reinvigorate the town’s waning spirit? Or is it a misguided exercise in bad taste that will only succeed in pouring salt on fresh wounds?
What the film conveys with great authority is the gravity of the town’s suffering and their timid reluctance to move on. Director McG (“Charlie’s Angels”) has crafted surprisingly effective moments that visually channel the depth of the town’s despair without showboating. Fearing that he’ll miss his granddaughter’s piano recital, an elderly fan is given a seat on the doomed flight early on in the picture. Later, the granddaughter is briefly shown playing the piano during his memorial service. There is a startling simplicity of expression in moments like these, and in many of the film’s beautifully composed frames. It’s the subdued observations that get at you more often than the robust ones do.
The review continues on to give the film a B+. Check out the entire report plus a second review on We Are Marshall over at AICN.
We Are Marshall opens to theatres on December 22nd.
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