Movie Review: We Are Marshall

DougDec 20th, 2006 - 17:08:40

First, let me say that I am not a professional movie critic. Apparently neither is Anne Brodie. In all of the movies I have seen in my 41 years, all of them have the 'violin's' playing at those emotional scenes. The musical score of a film is a very important part and all movies have them.

Second, I am from West Virginia, and attended Marshall University. I think the movie 'We Are... Marshall' is a very compelling movie. My opinion is this is an excellent movie that accurately portrays true events in the best manner possible. Yes, it's a football movie therefore that is the focus. I have read several reviews that criticize that. Hello...the entire football team is killed...they try to rebuild...it's a football movie, get over it. Yes, the movie could have gone in several different directions, but it chose this one...there is no harm in that.

Third, Anne Brodie comments on Matthey MacConaughey’s performance of Jack Lengyel as “MacConaughey plays the football king, the heart of the recovery from tragedy, like a snake oil salesman. He is bumptious and overbearing.” My question is…does Ms. Brodie know Mr. Lengyel or has she ever met him? I doubt it. So how does she know if Matthew MacConaughey’s portrayal is accurate or not?

Ms. Brodie is certainly entitled to her opinion…but when stating facts or talking about violins in movies…know what you are talking about before you speak.

No, it's not your typical Hollywood fare...no major violent scenes, no major foul language, no major love/sex scene... just a good family movie. That's a rarity these days and therefore criticized by those who have no idea what they are talking about.

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SteveDec 25th, 2006 - 04:44:13

My wife and I were born and raised in West Virginia and met while attending Marshall University's medical school twenty years ago. Both of us remember the tragic plane crash depicted in the movie and lived for a little under ten years in the community that serves as its backdrop. We remain familiar enough with Huntington so as to be able to instantly recognize the exact locations of all of the shots of the town in the movie including the street we lived on for the last two years we were a part of Marshall and Huntington. What we cannot recognize is the basis for the comments many critics have made about this movie.

With all due respect to the critics, everyone is entitled to their own opinions but not to their own facts. We still have friends in Huntington and reguarly return to see them. I can assure the reader that the depiction of both the culture of the town in general as well as the lasting effects left over from the tragedy of 36 years ago is depicted accurately. Similarly, all accounts of which I am aware from people who lived through those dark days speak highly of the film's authenticity. The way that it has resonated through the tight knit Marshall community should speak for itself.

Lastly, some mention of the sensitivity of both cast and crew toward what is still a highly emotional subject in Huntington must be made. So many people who 36-years ago burried loved ones from that horrible crash still live in the city that the news of this tragedy being made into a movie was greeted with some trepidation by more than a few people. Hollywood's shallowness does not always sit well in a bedrock southern community. However, the class and integrity exhibited by the people involved in this project who came to Huntington really opened up a lot of people's minds and made them realize how absurd stereotyping any human being truly is. McG, McConaughey and all the other people involved in this project earned the respect and affection of a lot of people who know much more about the subject of this film than any movie critic could. Criticize the lighting, the musical score or whatever other element of the film you did not like. Just know that any substantial change in the way the town or characters were portrayed or the subject of the crash was handled would have come at the expense of good taste and more importantly accuracy.

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KimmieeJan 7th, 2007 - 20:46:11

I have not yet seen 'We are Marshall' but what I've read in the last two commets make it sount good. I've never been to Virginia or anything so I hope what is said in the commets are really true because I'd like to seee it sometime today, also because one of my friends saw it and said he liked it although it was sad so I'll get back to this later after the movie.

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