Vashirdfel
Simply A Masterpiece
Blucher
One of the worst movies I've ever seen
Chirphymium
It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional
pampeachtree
Enjoyed the movie but for purist there were many factual inaccuracies. Syracuse did not play Boston College in 1959. The West Virginia game in which WV and their fans are portrayed as very racist was played in Syracuse not Morganton. In the Texas game of that year the score was never 15-14. There are others but that suffices. When a description is "based" on a true story it means not everything is necessarily true. Remember that as one videographer told me, "we are artists and entertainers and not historians!"
SnoopyStyle
Ernie Davis is 10 years old in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. He stutters but runs really fast. He lives with his grandfather Pops (Charles S. Dutton). His mother Marie Davis returns telling him that she's remarried. They move to the white town of Elmira, NY. Years later, Syracuse University football head coach Ben Schwartzwalder (Dennis Quaid) is looking to replace Jim Brown who has just signed with the Browns. With Jim Brown's help, he signs the wide-eyed Davis (Rob Brown) who would go on to become the first negro to win the Heisman Trophy.This is a functional biopic taking on all the familiar ideas. It is beautifully shot. Rob Brown has a wide-opened personality with his bright-eye performance. The biggest problem for me is that the movie recruits the audience with a more interesting character in Jim Brown. I can't help but think that Jim Brown has the more compelling story. There isn't anything wrong but there isn't necessarily anything new. It's a workmanlike effort.
iowastate-1
I have an Ernie Davis football Topps rookie card from 1962 which I bought and have saved since I was a 9 year old kid and I do admire him.But the movie would have been a hell of a lot better if it had been historical instead of being filled with race baiting fiction to make things look even worse.We all know life was hard enough for African-Americans back in those days so it really wasn't necessary for the writers to change the truth when there are so many people who still remember what really happened and can give the lie to their script after having watched the film.It went beyond changing scores of games and putting events out of order which is just laziness when all these events are on record and so easy to find out.Ernie was a great athlete and an inspiration because of his life and deserved a much better film especially with so many excellent actors involved.
edwagreen
Truly an outstanding biography of Ernie Davis, who at the height of brilliant career, with so much to offer the Cleveland Browns, was struck down with leukemia. The latter ultimately killed him at age 23.His was a life of viewing and experiencing racial prejudice from his early youth and while playing, especially in southern towns. The picture excellently depicts American society circa 1949 through the '60s.As his beloved coach at Syracuse University, Dennis Quaid gives a restrained, brilliant performance. This is by far Quaid's best work in motion pictures.Rob Brown, as Davis, fully captures the man and mood of the times. It's wonderful to see how Brown matured during his college years, and was even strong through such adversity at the end.This is a remarkable film which should not be missed.As his grandfather, Charles S. Dutton, is excellent in a supporting role. Grandpa knew the importance of football, but was wise enough to push his grandson for an education as well.
