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The Express Review

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

The Express Feature

The Express Overview

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 Specifications

Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca) Release Date: 01/20/2009 Run time: 130 minutes Rating: Pg

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