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Matthew McConaughey, Matthew Fox, Anthony Mackie, David Strathairn, Ian McShane ... see more see more... , Kate Mara , January Jones , Kimberly Williams-Paisley , Arlen Escarpeta , Brian Geraghty , Tommy Cresswell , Christian Kanupke , Nina Jones , Kevin Atkins , Mark Patton , Huntley Ritter , Brett Rice , Dalton Polston , Andrew Wilson Williams , Ellie Zellers , Mark Oliver , Brian Beegle , L. Warren Young , David Dwyer , Wes Brown , Michael Pniewski , Mike Pniewski , Cafabian Heard , Mandy Best , Nikky Williams , Laura-Shay Griffin , Katie Kneeland , Elizabeth Omilami , Scott Hilley , Andrew DiPalma , Jeff Adelman , Dolan Wilson , Billy Woods , Sharalene Kile , Bill Crabb , Phillip Ivey , Wilbur Fitzgerald , Jody Thompson , David Ramsey , Rhoda Griffis , Billy Bennett , Patrick L. Parker , Joey Nappo , Michael DiFiore , Maurice Bryant , Tim Crowley , Don Young , Alex Van , Ron Clinton Smith , Taber Lathrop , Jake Cooper , William Gorman , Anaiah Petty , Jeff Portell , Alyssa Caputo , Keith Morehouse , Mike Ribaudo , Bobby Jordan , Dock Pollard , Bert Beatson , Bobby Jon Drinkard , Ryan Sloth , Brent Garber , Steven Barr , Kimberly Williams

A true story of tragedy, hope, and resilience comes to the screen in this sports drama. Huntington, WV, is home to Marshall University, a school where college football is a way of life. Huntington is ... read more read more...also a town that learned to deal with tragedy in the fall of 1970 when Marshall's "Thundering Herd" boarded an airliner to return home after a football game in North Carolina. The jet crashed into a hill due to bad weather, and 75 members of Marshall's football squad and athletic staff died that night. The accident dealt a crippling blow to the city of Huntington, as well as Marshall's faculty and student body, and university president Donald Dedmon (David Strathairn) considered abandoning the school's football program. But instead Coach Jack Lengyel (Matthew McConaughey) was recruited from Ohio's College of Wooster to rebuild Marshall's football program. Lengyel was not naïve about the task ahead of him, and working beside Red Dawson (Matthew Fox), an assistant coach who narrowly missed the doomed flight and was one of the program's only survivors, he came to understand his job was not just to put a team on the field, but help a college and a community heal their wounds from the tragic accident. Together Lengyel and Dawson turned a handful of rookies and second-string players into a competitive team who in 1971 showed the world what they could do in a legendary game against Marshall's rivals, Xavier University. Produced with the cooperation of Marshall University and filmed in part on their campus, We Are Marshall also stars Ian McShane, Anthony Mackie, and January Jones. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

81% liked it

194,705 ratings

Critics

49% liked it

124 critics

PG, 2 hr. 11 min.

Directed by: Joseph McGinty Nichol, McG

Release Date: December 22, 2006

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DVD Release Date: September 18, 2007

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Stats: 9,725 reviews

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Matthew McConaughey as Head Coach Jack Lengyel. We Are Marshall Poster Matthew Fox and Matthew McConaughey as Red Dawson and Jack Lengyel. matthew fox matt fox Matthew Fox from "We Are Marshall." matthew fox The Matthews of "We Are Marshall" Matthew McConaughey leading the team onto the field. The real protagonists and the actors who played them from "We Are Marshall." First thing as new coach...meet your new team. Ian McShane as the father who lost his son in "We Are Marshall." Ian McShane and Matthew McConaughey The ring that was to be Ian McShane's daughter-in-law's. Matthew McConaughey as the new head coach of Marshall. Kate Mara working in the diner after the loss of her fiancee'. A last kiss before tragedy. Ian talks to Kate about her future.
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Flixster Reviews (9,725)

  • jmanard52
    May 11, 2008
    jmanard52
    Moving and painful. While it is obviously loosely following the real events, even tha tis enought ot make you stand up and salute the town. Indeed We Are Marshall.
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    May 26, 2012
    TheDudeLebowski65
    We Are Marshall is an over bearing cliché riddled feel good film that unfortunately doesn't deliver. This is the type of film we've seen many times before. This film doesn't work and is quite tiresome. I really didn't enjoy the film, and was very disappointed in the way it turned... read more out. I was very much looking forward in seeing this film, and when I did, the only thing I noticed was the standard sports clichés set to a real life tragedy. The film did start off well, but afterwards it played on it clichés to deliver its entertainment. The cast seem to overdo their performances on-screen. Overall there is nothing really good to take away from this film. The film is too predictable, and it ends up being another feel good sports drama. There's nothing within the film to really make it a stand out film, and it doesn't break new ground or do anything new in the genre. We Are Marshall is the same old tired out formula that seems to plague sports dramas. With this film, there's really no performance that really stands out. I felt the cast was pretty bland. I felt that considering that this is a true story, there could have been a lot more effort put into it. But in the end, We Are Marshall is a cliché riddled film that simply is no different than any other films in this genre. There are better films out there, than this one. We Are Marshall simply don't deliver anything new or refreshing, something that is much needed in this genre. Expect a film with lots of clichés with this one, and you may not be disappointed. I for one, was, and didn't think too much of this film.
  • thmtsang
    July 31, 2011
    thmtsang
    Movie based on a true story about a town called Huntingdon who lost their university football team and staff in a tragic plane accident. The president if the school wants to abandon the football programme but some students convince him not to. He employs football coach and assist... read moreant coach - two Matthews. Looks at hope from tragedy. Good cast.
  • DreamExtractor
    April 13, 2011
    DreamExtractor
    I personall though it was sweet. Mathew Mcaughnahey is a good actor, the plot was great for 20 minutes but then became another football movie. It was a fun, classy movie and is I really liked it.
  • jamers2011
    December 7, 2010
    jamers2011
    One of my all-time favorite sport movies. It's such a tragic, touching story. I like the way this film balances plot and sport, with sports serving almost as a secondary element. Very touching film! I recommend it!
  • kiriyamakazou
    September 2, 2010
    kiriyamakazou
    Based on a true story, but still very formulaic. The film could have benefited from being grittier and more realistic. It manages to capture the strong and tragic emotions, but when it tries to be inspirational, it pulls out a series of tacky speeches and slow motion back slaps. ... read more The story has a great beginning, setting up a town shattering tragedy. The build up is ominous, but still leaves room for surprise. The cast is littered with fantastic actors, from an uncredited Robert Patrick, Ian McShane, and David Strathairn. Each of them plays their roles very well, and I liked the view of different townsfolk. It would have been nice to see more of the town, as McShane and Strathairn are two of the highlights. It also emphasized the painful loss and the needed hope. It does manage to raise some goosebumps, and its raw power is enough to propel it into the end zone. Moving, inspirational, but less than subtle.
  • LWOODS04
    November 22, 2009
    LWOODS04
    By far one of the best football movies I have seen. A heartbreaking story about a town who loses their entire football team and staff in a tragic plane crash. What makes even more horrific is that it's based on a true story. I thought Matthew McConaughey was great. Really surpris... read moreed with Matthew Fox's acting. He was really good. It's a sad, but great movie.. Inspiring. Love football movies.
  • movieguru12
    July 16, 2008
    movieguru12
    Exellant true based story!
  • ajaymuthecooldevils
    June 3, 2008
    ajaymuthecooldevils
    Well, I'm a little surprise that this movie about football can get some star for the cast... I think just Matthew McConaughey the star in this movie, but they can get Matthew Fox and David Straithairn too.. Actually, the story based on a true story usually get predicted too easy.... read more.. The story which is from zero to hero stills work for the box office run... But I think Matthew Conaughey is a wrong cast for this movie... He try to make this movie a comedy, but the truth that this movie is a drama... It just don't work in this movie, he really can't get serious in this movie... I think that Matthew Fox played better than him... And David Straithairn too... And kind of disturbing is they added the clip from the past in the middle of the movie... It just don't clear who is playing in the movie and who isn't... If the coach not Matthew Conaughey, maybe someone else I think this movie can do a lot better... He just don't fit for that role...
  • LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    May 20, 2008
    LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    McG knocked this one out the park. Well written storyline, documented the history well. I enjoyed the film work done in Huntington around the University. The action scenes put you on the field with the players. I loved all of the slo-mo camera work. This was a story that needed t... read moreo be told properly, with the right touch of compassion. Matt and Matt, good job as Jack and Red, both made it happen. Marshall has come a long way since the 1970 crash and shows what teamwork is all about. If the city and University had not supported the team through thick and thin there would never had been a national championship.

    Watch this if you wanna be inspired.

View All We Are Marshall Reviews

Critic Reviews

Richard Roeper
December 26, 2006
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper

Unlike a lot of sports movies, it doesn't end with a championship or a great upset over a powerhouse. The real victory on the Marshall campus was in fielding a team that honored and respected the lega...

Claudia Puig
December 22, 2006
Claudia Puig, USA Today

This was undeniably a horrific event for the victims' families friends, colleagues as well as for the entire community. But the movie seems to almost exploit this tragedy so it can make audiences weep... Full Review

Peter Howell
December 22, 2006
Peter Howell, Toronto Star

What's missing is any kind of insight into the lives of the dead players or the members of the Young Thundering Herd who rise up to replace them. Full Review

Peter Hartlaub
December 22, 2006
Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle

We Are Marshall is a bit of a shame, because the subject matter could have been something special in the hands of stronger filmmakers. Full Review

Roger Moore
December 22, 2006
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

We Are Marshall (it's the rally cry of the team) doesn't always have a handle on the grief, but it does keep emotions close to the surface. That allows McConaughey to be the most refreshing, funny and... Full Review

Stephen Holden
December 22, 2006
Stephen Holden, New York Times

We Are Marshall is the kind of crassly formulaic movie in which everything hinges on a single play in the final seconds of a big football game. Full Review

Kyle Smith
December 22, 2006
Kyle Smith, New York Post

A better film would have acknowledged the limits of sport and discovered that when you're in mourning all you can do is distract yourself, either by hard work (on the part of the surviving teammates) ...

Jack Mathews
December 22, 2006
Jack Mathews, New York Daily News

It looks like every inspirational sports movie we've seen in the last five years. Full Review

Stephen Cole
December 22, 2006
Stephen Cole, Globe and Mail

An entirely serviceable night out for buddies looking to locate hidden feelings. Full Review

Terry Lawson
December 22, 2006
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press

As sincerely felt as it may be, We Are Marshall still comes off feeling contrived and superficial. Full Review

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Facts

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    • Jack Lengyel: ls that the Ohio Valley Coal line? The same one that went off the tracks near Akron last winter?
    • Red Dawson: Yep. That's the one.
    • Jack Lengyel: Back on track.
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We Are Marshall Trivia

  • In the 2006 movie 'We Are Marshall,' Matthew McConaughey plays Marshall University's new head football coach. What was his character's name?  Answer »
  • "We are Marshall" is a true story that originates from?  Answer »
  • what is the name of the movie that the football team dies  Answer »
  • This movie stars Matthew McConaughey as the new coach for a football team that was killed in a plane crash  Answer »
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