You absolutely do not need to be a football fan to be entertained and inspired by
The Express. The story of Ernie Davis, the first African-American player to win the coveted Heisman Trophy, ranks right up with there with the best biopics of the past decade. And while a lot of the action in the film takes place on the gridiron, there's so much more to Davis' story than his accomplishments on the field.
The Express showcases a man even ardent football fans may know very little about going in. But after taking in
The Express, it's near impossible not to admire what Davis achieved.
Directed by Gary Fleder (
Don't Say a Word,
Runaway Jury) from a screenplay by Charles Leavitt (
Blood Diamond),
The Express effectively captures the early '60s, laying bare the racism rampant in America at that turbulent time in our history truthfully – no artistic embellishments were needed or used. Davis and his fellow athletes had to endure cruel treatment and ugly taunts from opposing teams' fans while trying to play the sport they loved. To see on the screen what life must have been like for these brave athletes as they attempted to completely knock down the color barrier is a heartbreaking and thoroughly moving experience.
Dennis Quaid in 'The Express.'
© Universal Pictures
Ernie Davis (Rob Brown) grew up in a poor neighborhood in Elmira, New York in the '40s and '50s, and it was there he found a home away from home on the local youth league football fields. As a child, Ernie could run like the wind. And as he developed as a football player, Ernie's speed and ability to outmaneuver defenses made him standout from the pack so much so that he caught the attention of Syracuse University coach Ben Schwartzwalder (Dennis Quaid). Coach Schwartzwalder offered Ernie a scholarship to play, but it was NFL standout Jim Brown (Darrin Dewitt Henson) who convinced Ernie Syracuse was the perfect college for running backs.
Although Coach Schwartzwalder and Jim Brown butted heads while Brown played at Syracuse, the men had a great deal of respect for each other. Jim Brown didn't promise Ernie Davis he'd have an easy time at the 99% white college – or an easy time under Coach Schwartzwalder - but he did assure him he'd come out of the experience a better player and a better man.
Battling racism on and off the field, Ernie Davis did what no one – not even the great Jim Brown – was able to do. Davis' talent and determination made Syracuse's 1960 season, which is showcased in the film, one for the record books.
The Bottom Line
The football action in
The Express is intense. The hits look brutal and the actors, to a man, do an excellent job of embracing the playing style of 1960s era football. And the scenes off the field are equally as dynamic. Rob Brown played college football – though not as a running back – and he not only looks every bit the part, but also delivers a multi-layered performance that honors Davis' memory. Quaid, who used to be the athlete on the field and not the coach on the sidelines in these types of films, smoothly transitions to the role of mentor.
Rob Brown in 'The Express.'
© Universal Pictures
Davis was able to accomplish what he did with dignity and style, and his story is one all young athletes (and some hotdogging, grandstanding professional players) can learn from. It seems strange it's taken so long for Ernie Davis' tale to hit the big screen. This is such a compelling story, it's amazing it took four decades to reach theaters. But the wait was worthwhile as
The Express is a first-class film that should win over audiences.
GRADE: A-
The Express was directed by Gary Fleder and is rated PG for thematic content, violence and language involving racism, and for brief sensuality.
Theatrical Release Date: October 10, 2008
