The "inspirational" sports flick is a living, breathing cliche in the film world. Remember the Titans, Hoosiers, Rudy — these are just a few of Hollywood's nakedly sentimental offerings over the last few decades. It's easy to snipe at the cheap manipulation of filmmakers who tackle baldly emotional stories, but the fact of the matter is, they move people and are quietly effective at sketching the best and the worst of the human condition.
These uplifting films also tend to rake in the cash, but I'd like to think those who make such works as We Are Marshall have more noble intentions. Directed by McG (he of the Charlie's Angels franchise) and penned by Jamie Linden, the film chronicles the devastating plane crash that decimated the 1970 Marshall University football team (the "Thundering Herd") and its home town of Huntington, West Virginia. As the town struggles with its grief, the remaining few players lobby university president Don Dedmon (David Strathairn) to keep the program going and honor their fallen teammates' memories. Eager coach Jack Lengyel (Matthew McConaughey) jumps at the chance to shepherd the crippled program through its 1971 season, enlisting surviving coach Red Dawson (Matthew Fox) and a handful of walk-ons, transfer students and, in a NCAA first, freshmen.
The story travels a predictable path, hitting many of the expected buttons along the way, including the grieving father (Ian McShane) who has suffered one loss too many and the shattered fiancee (Kate Mara), uncertain of her future. It's to McG's credit that he never gets too bogged down in the secondary narratives, striking a reverential but determined tone. Unfortunately, he does feel the need to repeatedly remind the audience of the tragedy's scope, rather than let them infer the great pain Huntington endured.
With sharply filmed game sequences and welcome doses of humor (mostly courtesy of McConaughey's strangely live-wire performance), We Are Marshall is a lovingly crafted tribute to, not only the sport of football and the thrill of competition, but also the redemptive powers of the game and finding the will to go on in the face of overwhelming adversity. It's not a classic of the genre, but those who enjoy films of its ilk will be entertained and moved.