"The Express" tells the gripping true-to-life tale of Ernie Davis. He's the first African-American who won the Heisman Trophy, college football's highest individual honor. At a glance, you may think "The Express" is just another football film, but what sets this movie apart is its resonant theme of courage and hope amidst racism.
Racism is the key to Davis' discovery of his athletic abilities as a child. Faced with danger from the neighborhood bullies, all white, Davis escapes his tormentors by running as fast as he can. From that point on, the boy who can barely speak because of his stuttering problems is able to express himself on the football field.
Actor Rob Brown plays the grown-up Davis with much aplomb. Brown has such an aura of openness that his performance pulls you in. The actor landed his first acting job in "Finding Forrester" because he thought he could be an extra in the movie so he could pay his cell phone bill. The rawness in his acting he showed in that film sparring with Sean Connery is evident in "The Express." Only this time, Brown is wrangling with Dennis Quaid.
Quaid stars as Ben Schwartzwalder, a long-time coach at Syracuse University. Schwartzwalder discovered another gridiron icon, Jim Brown (played in the movie by Darrin Dewitt Henson), and he is the one who will eventually mold Davis into a football hero.
"The Express" can be seen as a two-character morality play between Davis and Schwartzwalder. The football scenes are great, but much of the action happens between the clashing coach and his esteemed player.
If Davis is a symbol of the civil rights campaign during the 1960s, Schwartzwalder is the metaphor for the evolving conscience of America. In the beginning of the movie, Schwartzwalder appears to have only one goal in mind winning. But towards the end, with Davis' help, Schwartzwalder learns the true meaning of victory.
Brown and Quaid are enough to justify the price of your movie ticket, but "The Express" is blessed with indelible supporting performances. Heading the pack is Charles S. Dutton as Davis' grandfather. His likability matches Brown's. Another notable performance comes from Omar Benson Miller as Davis' best friend, Jack Buckley. His acting transcends the comic relief nature of the character. However, the lack of strong female characters mars an otherwise perfect acting ensemble.
Based on the book by Robert Gallagher called "The Elmira Express" (the Elmira in the title comes from Davis' hometown, Elmira, NY) with a script written by Charles Leavitt, I liked that the topic of racism did not consume the film. There are some lines that are a bit overhanded, but the actors deliver them with much gusto.
One of my favorite lines from the movie is the one Schwartzwalder used to inspire his team during their historic Cotton Bowl game against the University of Texas in Dallas. Met by intense heckling brought by racism, Quaid, in a powerful dramatic moment, delivers the dialog, "do not let them take history away from you." That line reverberates strong and well to this day.
Directed by Gary Fleder ("Runaway Jury"), you don't have to like football to enjoy the movie. You will stand up and cheer during the intense football scenes, but you will clap even more for Ernie Davis' unprecedented journey. And for that, "The Express" gets 3 Touchdown kisses
Racism is the key to Davis' discovery of his athletic abilities as a child. Faced with danger from the neighborhood bullies, all white, Davis escapes his tormentors by running as fast as he can. From that point on, the boy who can barely speak because of his stuttering problems is able to express himself on the football field.
Actor Rob Brown plays the grown-up Davis with much aplomb. Brown has such an aura of openness that his performance pulls you in. The actor landed his first acting job in "Finding Forrester" because he thought he could be an extra in the movie so he could pay his cell phone bill. The rawness in his acting he showed in that film sparring with Sean Connery is evident in "The Express." Only this time, Brown is wrangling with Dennis Quaid.
Quaid stars as Ben Schwartzwalder, a long-time coach at Syracuse University. Schwartzwalder discovered another gridiron icon, Jim Brown (played in the movie by Darrin Dewitt Henson), and he is the one who will eventually mold Davis into a football hero.
"The Express" can be seen as a two-character morality play between Davis and Schwartzwalder. The football scenes are great, but much of the action happens between the clashing coach and his esteemed player.
If Davis is a symbol of the civil rights campaign during the 1960s, Schwartzwalder is the metaphor for the evolving conscience of America. In the beginning of the movie, Schwartzwalder appears to have only one goal in mind winning. But towards the end, with Davis' help, Schwartzwalder learns the true meaning of victory.
Brown and Quaid are enough to justify the price of your movie ticket, but "The Express" is blessed with indelible supporting performances. Heading the pack is Charles S. Dutton as Davis' grandfather. His likability matches Brown's. Another notable performance comes from Omar Benson Miller as Davis' best friend, Jack Buckley. His acting transcends the comic relief nature of the character. However, the lack of strong female characters mars an otherwise perfect acting ensemble.
Based on the book by Robert Gallagher called "The Elmira Express" (the Elmira in the title comes from Davis' hometown, Elmira, NY) with a script written by Charles Leavitt, I liked that the topic of racism did not consume the film. There are some lines that are a bit overhanded, but the actors deliver them with much gusto.
One of my favorite lines from the movie is the one Schwartzwalder used to inspire his team during their historic Cotton Bowl game against the University of Texas in Dallas. Met by intense heckling brought by racism, Quaid, in a powerful dramatic moment, delivers the dialog, "do not let them take history away from you." That line reverberates strong and well to this day.
Directed by Gary Fleder ("Runaway Jury"), you don't have to like football to enjoy the movie. You will stand up and cheer during the intense football scenes, but you will clap even more for Ernie Davis' unprecedented journey. And for that, "The Express" gets 3 Touchdown kisses