Patman

"The Express" is a sports biopic of Ernie Davis, the first black college football player to win the Heisman Trophy. Rob Brown plays Ernie Davis with quiet sincerity and humility. Dennis Quaid is Coach Schwartzwalder, Ernie's coach at Syracuse University. In step with the early days of the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, Ernie's own collegiate storyline is littered with shameful episodes of racism and intolerance from not only the opponents his university played against, but also from a select few on his own team, but with Jackie Robinson as a personal hero from his youth, Ernie did his level best to let his actions on the field do the talking for him.

The film is solid in dealing with Ernie's on-the-field exploits, but I did want a little more of Ernie's personal off-the-field experiences, though there are a few that are effective enough to convey his struggles with playing at Syracuse while his cousin sought Ernie for active participation in the Civil Rights movement.

Overall, a solid effort by director Gary Fleder and a good cast headed by Brown and Quaid. The final act is rather effective and concludes with an inspirational tone.

I give it 3 stars, or a grade of B.

Giles

I generally liked the film... alot, but one qualm was the overuse of music, which movies of the genre seems to pour on with over enthuiasm. The casting was excellent. Stay til the end of the credit and there's a pic of the real Ernie Davis.

B+

JimRochester

I'm surprised to find only one reply to this thread. I just saw this tonight. It was well done but I found a few cliche' sports movie moments. I also felt they dragged the end 5 or 10 minutes more than it needed to be.

B-