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List Price: $19.98 | | Label: Universal Studios
Salesrank: 2582
Released: January 20, 2009 |
| Our Price: $9.49 |
| Used Price: $2.12 |
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MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Witness the inspirational true story of a real American hero. Rising from the humblest of beginnings, Ernie Davis (Rob Brown) overcame impossible odds to become the first African-American to win college football’s greatest honor – the Heisman Trophy. Starring Dennis Quaid as the hard-nosed coach that helped drive him to greatness, The Express is a powerful story of triumph on and off the field that will have you cheering again and again!
Description of The Express:
Based on the real-life story of college football hero Ernie Davis, The Express will remind some moviegoers of the heart-tugging Brian's Song. Ernie Davis was a star athlete at Syracuse University and the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy. Unlike other winners of that era, he wasn't allowed to attend his banquet dinner because the venue didn't serve blacks. He died of leukemia at the age of 23 in 1963. That element of his story is well known to football fans. What the filmmakers concentrate on in The Express isn't just Davis' athletic prowess, but the relationship he had with his coach Ben Schwartzwalder (Dennis Quaid). Rob Brown (Stop-Loss, Coach Carter) lends both gravity and charm to the role of Davis. He plays Davis as a strong willed and moral young man who refuses to let racism and discrimination dominate his life. He joins a Jewish fraternity, gets along with his predominantly white teammates and shows respect for his family and coach. The film is wise not to present Schwartzwalder as wholly color blind. Though not overtly racist, he makes a few references that would not be acceptable in modern-day society. Overall though, the coach doesn't care what color his players are, as long as they share the common goal of winning. Quaid is well cast in the role, adding just the right amount of gruff mannerisms without becoming a caricature. Brown has the difficult task of adding suspense to a character where most of the audience already knows his fate. Still, he manages to keep moviegoers on their toes--hoping for a miracle that we know will never come. --Jae-Ha Kim
The Express Reviews:
Ignore the negative reviews! 
2009-09-27 - In the interest of full disclosure -- I am a football mom, a football fan, and a sports movie aficionada.
That said, this is a wonderful movie which I would rank right up there with "Remember the Titans," "We Are Marshall," and "Friday Night Lights." If you love any of those movies, as I do, you will love this one, too.
OF COURSE the director takes some liberties; that's called "dramatic license." But this film is powerful and inspirational -- and isn't that what most of us who like sports movies want to see? I'm buying it now for my college football player son to watch. Dennis Quaid and Rob Brown do an excellent job, as do many of the supporting players. And the football scenes are exciting -- I heard myself yelling at the TV as Ernie ran for a touchdown.
But it -- I don't think you'll be disappointed.
A Fitting Tribute 
2009-09-02 - As a sports nut I should be ashamed there were so many facts about Ernie Davis I knew nothing about. Yes, I knew he was the first African-American to win the Heisman--and he won it when the civil rights issue was at its zenith. And yes, I knew he died tragically young, but had no idea leukemia claimed him at age 23, before he even got to play a down in the NFL. And I did not know the Cleveland Browns, who drafted him to play alongside fellow Syracuse legend Jim Brown, retired his jersey number. But I know all of this now, thanks to watching THE EXPRESS, a tribute to Ernie Davis and his collegiate career. Sure, it's a little sappy and reeks of melodramatic cliches at times, but overall this is a very moving story about a young man of strong moral fiber fighting not only tacklers on the field, but a society determined to keep him at second class status.
THE EXPRESS features a superb cast, including Rob Brown in the lead role. Brown plays the young Syracuse superstar with calm demeanor and resolute determination; other actors, given the racial tensions of the setting, might have been tempted to go over the top, but Brown keeps the lid on. I thoroughly enjoyed Dennis Quaid as gruff head coach Ben Schwartzwalder--a man who must go on a personal journey of his own, as he discovers he's not as open and tolerant as he originally believes. And I really liked Darrin Dewitt Henson playing the proud, yet always defiant, Jim Brown. The football scenes--particularly the 1960 Cotton Bowl against an angry Texas team--are gritty and realistic; sports fans will enjoy the action, while everyone else will enjoy the humanity THE EXPRESS so aptly depicts.
--D. Mikels, Author, Walk-On
AN INSPIRING, BUT SAD BIOGRAPHY! WELL DONE!
2009-08-21 - Being a football fan I am ashamed to say I didn't know this story before seeing the film. I did have some knowledge of this tragedy, but I didn't know the full story. This is a gripping biography about a young man who never got the chance to reap the rewards for his hard work and perseverance through a time when this county didn't see blacks as people. It's hard to believe this was only 60 years ago! It's really appalling how we treated certain people in those days and it's only been in the last 20 years when we have even begun to put this practice in the garbage where it belongs.
The film follows the life of football running back Ernie Davis who has such an inspiring, but ultimately sad story of how he overcame many hard ships to become an incredible running back and model sportsman. The film has a great balance of football heroics and compelling drama and should keep any movie fan interested during its two hour running time.
Excellent performances and realistic action make this a winner from start to finish! I would love to see a film about Barry Sanders that was handled this well. Although Sander's story isn't nearly this sad, it's really one that should be told, you don't have to win the Superbowl to be a winner!.....Hollywood are you listening?
Good sports film with an inspirational hero
2009-08-17 - This is a well-acted sports drama with an inspirational story. Both Rob Brown and Dennis Quaid do an exceptional job, and all the secondary players are highly professional.
I read two complaints in the Amazon reviews. The first is historical inaccuracies. To me they seem restrained for Hollywood, and inconsequential to the story and theme. (Although moving the West Virginia game from a home game to an away game probably was unfair to West Virginia.) Dramatic license often gets stretched too far, but the ones mentioned in these reviews don't corrupt the story. The second complaint seems is that the Schwartzwalder character gets preference over the Davis character. Rather than being sent to the back of the script, Davis is elevated as a heroic character through the slow conversion of Schwartzwalder--who is a metaphor for the nation.
This is a sports film to own. Like Hoosiers, The Express is not just another story about a long-shot struggle toward victory. As a period movie, it will never appear dated, and it entertains as it gives us a glimpse of a transitional, but stormy, period in our history.
The Express
2009-08-03 - I liked the movie very much. I was interested in seeing the movie because of the actor Rob Brown. He impressed me very much in Finding Forester and was anxious to see another of his movies.
