I'm going to say it straight from the off; this movie will play your emotional heartstrings better than Jimi Hendrix on his best day. Right from the beginning you are introduced to a post-crash scene where a young Bobby Charlton (played by Jack O'Connell) sits, injured, next to a team mate in the exposed harshness of a German winter. Just so you know what's coming ahead.
The movie follows the happenings of the events leading up to and after the air crash mainly from the perspective of Bobby Charlton. It begins with training day for a promising Manchester United squad where, as usual, David Tennant dazzles in his role as Jimmy Murphy, the head coach for the team. His portrayal of Murphy gives us a realistic idea of footballing days 40-50 years ago when boots were plain and sturdy, the football was hard and reliable, and first team opportunities were hard to come by.
Of course, the main man behind the selection of a team is the manager, Matt Busby, played by Dougray Scott. His portrayal of Busby has its ups and downs. You clearly get the idea that he is a respected man, a disciplinarian but fair, and someone that everyone strives to impress. However, this reviewer has his reservations about a few things; namely the accent. Yes, Sir Matt Busby was Scottish but did the accent have to be so thick? Some parts of his dialogue was hard to understand which hindered the overall effect of the film. Despite that, the camera shots really did let the viewer experience an aura about the man, like you were in the presence of greatness even while watching from a television screen.
I mentioned earlier that there was an emotional aspect to this film. And there is. In buckets. Especially if you're a United fan. Charlton fights with his emotions about whether or not he wants to come back to play for the team, arguing that "it's not the team without them" when referring to the deaths of his team mates. And it's true, and the fact that I can say that speaks volumes about the acting making me feel like I experienced the deaths of my team mates.
Overall, this film has its ups and downs, and if you're looking for a "Goal!" kind of movie where a player leads a team to glory - look elsewhere. This is a team sport, and this movie reflects it better than a mirror. The bond between each other, the euphoria of being in the Manchester United dressing room, being surrounded by talented players destined for glory, the emotional roller-coaster of triumph and despair, and the eventual victory all make this film not just an excellent insight into what life was like in the 1950s, but also made the viewer feel like they were part of a team, like they lost their friends, like they were united.
The movie follows the happenings of the events leading up to and after the air crash mainly from the perspective of Bobby Charlton. It begins with training day for a promising Manchester United squad where, as usual, David Tennant dazzles in his role as Jimmy Murphy, the head coach for the team. His portrayal of Murphy gives us a realistic idea of footballing days 40-50 years ago when boots were plain and sturdy, the football was hard and reliable, and first team opportunities were hard to come by.
Of course, the main man behind the selection of a team is the manager, Matt Busby, played by Dougray Scott. His portrayal of Busby has its ups and downs. You clearly get the idea that he is a respected man, a disciplinarian but fair, and someone that everyone strives to impress. However, this reviewer has his reservations about a few things; namely the accent. Yes, Sir Matt Busby was Scottish but did the accent have to be so thick? Some parts of his dialogue was hard to understand which hindered the overall effect of the film. Despite that, the camera shots really did let the viewer experience an aura about the man, like you were in the presence of greatness even while watching from a television screen.
I mentioned earlier that there was an emotional aspect to this film. And there is. In buckets. Especially if you're a United fan. Charlton fights with his emotions about whether or not he wants to come back to play for the team, arguing that "it's not the team without them" when referring to the deaths of his team mates. And it's true, and the fact that I can say that speaks volumes about the acting making me feel like I experienced the deaths of my team mates.
Overall, this film has its ups and downs, and if you're looking for a "Goal!" kind of movie where a player leads a team to glory - look elsewhere. This is a team sport, and this movie reflects it better than a mirror. The bond between each other, the euphoria of being in the Manchester United dressing room, being surrounded by talented players destined for glory, the emotional roller-coaster of triumph and despair, and the eventual victory all make this film not just an excellent insight into what life was like in the 1950s, but also made the viewer feel like they were part of a team, like they lost their friends, like they were united.