The Express
The Express

The Express

2008Movie130 minEnglish

Follow the inspirational life of college football hero Ernie Davis, the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy.

Read Reviews

Insights

IMDb6.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes60%
Metacritic61/100
Google Users85%
Director: Gary FlederGenres: Biography, Drama, Sport

Plot Summary

The film chronicles the inspirational life of Ernie Davis, the first African American to win college football's Heisman Trophy. It details his journey from Elmira, New York, to Syracuse University, where he became a football sensation. The narrative also touches upon the racial barriers he faced and his tragically shortened life due to leukemia.

Critical Reception

The Express was met with generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its inspirational story, lead performance, and tackling of important social issues. However, some critics found the film to be formulaic and sentimental at times.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its uplifting true story and strong central performance.
  • Recognized for its portrayal of racial challenges in sports history.
  • Some found the narrative to be predictable and overly sentimental.

Google audience: Audiences generally found the film to be a moving and inspiring story about Ernie Davis's life and achievements, appreciating its historical significance and emotional impact. Some viewers noted it was a well-made sports drama that successfully highlighted the struggles and triumphs of its protagonist.

Fun Fact

During filming, Rob Brown, who played Ernie Davis, had to learn to play football from scratch, as he had no prior experience with the sport.

AI-generated overview · Verify ratings on official sources

My Review