Metascore

Mixed or average reviews - based on 31 Critics What's this?

User Score

Universal acclaim- based on 101 Ratings

  • Starring: Anthony Mackie, Matthew Fox, Matthew McConaughey
  • Summary: For the team at Marshall University and the small West Virginia community around it, Marshall football is more than just a sport, it's a way of life. So, on a fateful night in 1970, when 75 members of the football team and coaching staff were killed in a plane crash, those left behind struggled to cope with the devastating loss. The grieving families found hope and strength in the leadership of Jack Lengyel (McConaughey), a young coach who was determined to rebuild Marshall's football program and, in the process, helped to heal a community. (Warner Bros.) Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 31
  2. Negative: 4 out of 31
  1. Filmmakers have presented an unvarnished drama about Marshall University and the people who love it, and the results are inspirational.
  2. Reviewed by: Jessica Reaves
    75
    Surprisingly restrained and undeniably entertaining.
  3. What should have been an inspirational story about fortitude and courage in the face of mind-numbing tragedy becomes a compendium of sports cliches.
  4. Reviewed by: Claudia Puig
    38
    Its use of trite "Win one for the Gipper" dialogue, overbearing soaring music and conventional plot devices makes it far too formulaic to truly move us.

See all 31 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 49 out of 56
  2. Negative: 6 out of 56
  1. TomB.
    10
    I felt I was there. My brother lived with the players who died. When he woke up on Sunday morning, he was one of 3 persons in Hodges Hall. The movie was exhilarating. Expand
  2. LawrenceE.
    8
    This movie was full of heart and is a fitting tribute the victims and family of the worst sports tragedy in history. I've watched it every time it's played and I plan on buying it. Expand
  3. KeithJ
    7
    I gave it a 7 because it achieves its objectives. You should know going in what type of movie this is. Do not expect a great masterpiece of cinema. However, it's a good, mostly accurate retelling of a true tragedy. If you look at the "trivia" section about the movie on Wikipedia, you'll see some historical fudges (e.g. Red Dawson was never booked on the flight), but here's one that's not listed: the former coach who died, Tolley, was younger than the new guy they hired from Wooster. He was 30 years old and had been there just two years. He had a losing record both of those years. The movie makes it seem like he was a long-time almost legendary coach. Expand
  4. LawrenceM.
    1
    Cliched and stale. Note to movie execs: it's time to relegate all tragic "based on a true story," "overcoming human misery to ultimately succeed" Disney-fied movies to Lifetime. Note #2 to movie execs: stop casting Matthew McConaughey in any sort of drama role. Actually, in any role, for that matter. Expand

See all 56 User Reviews

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