Sunday, October 19, 2008

The Express

"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me" (1 Corinthians 15:10, New King James Version).

We saw The Express this weekend. The movie tells the story of Ernie Davis, the first black Heisman trophy winner. It is a story of how a man of character overcame significant obstacles to achieve success, and in the end, quietly strike a blow against institutional social injustice.

Although growing up in a broken home, a racist society, and with a speech impediment, Ernie Davis overcame his circumstances and became a hero to his generation. Much of his success came from a wise grandfather ("Pops") who imparted patience, wisdom, strength, and respect for the Scriptures to his young grandson. In the end, we see a young man who faced his challenges with dignity and grace.

Although nearly forgotten by football fans today, Ernie Davis should be honored as a heroic figure in the history of college football. This movie helps.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I must admit I am not really into sports movies, but this looks like a good one.

Thanks for the recommendation.

Terry Laudett said...

Mike,
You will find that it is similar to most sports movies, in that it is the story of a man who overcomes obstacles to achieve success. However, unlike many, it weaves in some good stuff about family, faith, and justice. On the other hand, some of the language is difficult to hear. I did not care for hearing the Lord's name being taken in vain or the racial slurs, for instance. However, I know that it accurately portrayed the situations, and I know that it was probably toned down somewhat since racial slurs were much more common in public in those days than today. I would have liked it if such words had never been said, but unfortunately they were (and are) said. Still, overall, it was a good movie with a good theme. I hope you like it.