There seem to be certain requirements to the average sports movie. There's the protagonist who is willing to do whatever it takes, the hard-bitten coach, the ultra-supportive best friend, the father-figure (ideally dead) to live up to, and, of course, the big game. "The Express" doesn't offer much beyond these, but still manages to rise slightly above the Mendoza Line.
Saddled with adapting a well-known true story, that of Ernie Davis, the first African-American to be awarded the Heisman Trophy, screenwriter Charles Leavitt ("Blood Diamond") must be forgiven for producing an extremely predictable story arc. What is a less forgivable, though, is his choice to avoid delving into the character of Mr. Davis himself. Instead, the screenplay uses him as a lens through which to focus the beliefs of those around him. To his white teammates and classmates, he is (to say the least) an unwelcome addition to their white world; to his coach, he is a tool to be used and discarded; to his cousin, he is a catalyst for change. While all of this is important to the story of a man who overcame extreme prejudice, it would have been nice to see more than a glimpse into the experience of the man who fought these battles.
This situation is neither helped nor hurt by director Gary Fleder ("Runaway Jury"). Not bothering to try and do anything fancy to capture the grit of the game (a la "Any Given Sunday"), Mr. Fleder pretty much gets out of the way, allowing things to unfold in a sort of...and then...and then...style, which actually suits the screenplay just fine.
The performances, on the other hand, save what could have been an otherwise mundane experience. Rob Brown ("Finding Forrester") takes what little he is given in the lead role and imbues it with enough charisma and soul that it easy to overlook the thinly-written character. Dennis Quaid, also doing a lot with a little, perfectly captures the style and demeanor of the kind of tough-love coach that any team would follow to the ends of the earth. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the story is the perfect showcase for his repertoire of frowning concentration, charming smirk, and gruff fighting back of tears. Omar Benson Miller and Charles S. Dutton also turn in some nice work as the best friend and the grandfather, respectively.
For those who are already familiar with the story of Ernie Davis, "The Express" will bring very little to the table. It does, though, do a decent job of introducing the neophyte to his remarkable accomplishments, while still providing all of the ups and downs that one has come to expect from a sports movie. It's worth seeing, if only to fill up a lazy Sunday in February, when the post-Super Bowl doldrums set in.
