Movie Review: We Are Marshall (2006)

We Are Marshall (2006) directed by McG

A plane crash kills almost the entire football team of Marshall University, including most of the coaches. Assistant Coach Dawson (Matthew Fox) was supposed to be on the plane but switched to driving back to school at the last minute. The town and the university are devastated. University President Dedmon (David Strathairn) has the unenviable task of finding a new head coach. The only one to accept is an upstart from out of state, Jack Lengyel (Matthew McConaughey), who has the drive and ambition to put a new team together and back on the field. Not to win, but to come back from the loss, to heal from the pain, to respect the past, and to build a new future. He and the rest of the town go through a lot of hard moments of grief and growth.

The movie is surprisingly honest and hard-hitting. I was shocked to see that McG was the director, considering his other work that has been less than stellar (Terminator Salvation and the Charlie's Angels movies). The actors give solid performances and nothing looks over-dramatized. The story's natural drama is more than enough to keep viewers engaged and hoping for a better outcome for everyone. The movie is a sincere look at dealing with grief, and a moving one.

Recommended.