My All American

source: My All American

I was in Fort Smith, Arkansas when President Nixon flew up to Fayetteville for the game. I was one of the Boy Scouts who held the rope for him on his way to Marine One.

Decent football movie based on a true story. Actors did a decent job, though I can't specifically say anyone was a standout. Script was, if not overly original, at least well written and produced believable characters. Characters were a bit 2D, but considering most are based on real people with real families, making up extra drama for the story is contraindicated. Directing, cinematography, CGI all decent. Good take on the story. Overall, decent way to spend a couple hours.

What an emotional great ride My All American is. It's a beautiful movie about humanity using football as the vehicle. In that I don't see this as a football, or even sport, movie as it explores how greatness uses our world around us to which, yes, football is a part. It's the exploration of the human spirit and how it rises around the life one lives within. Freddie Stenmark was a true force of nature. The kind of person who is uplifting to all those in his sphere. He was a positive force who unrelentingly worked to overcome the deficiencies of being small in a tough world of football where size is, perhaps, valued on par with skill. That never stopped Freddie and the story of a life lived positively with grace is one for the ages. If a story were to use football as a backdrop it couldn't be better than the 1969 meeting of The University of Texas and the Arkansas Razorbacks. Texas coach Daryl Royal had handed Arkansas their only loss the previous year, but was not content with his team's record of 6 and 4 that year. The rivalry between these two teams, always heady, reached a fevered pitch for their 1969 meeting which would decide the national championship. It was a battle for the ages living up to it's advanced billing as The Game Of The Century as college football was also celebrating it's 100th year. As large a role as this game plays in the movie it's fitting ending is only a wonderful fulfilling within a greater story. It's this great story revolving around Freddie Stenmark's abilities and heart combined with coach Daryl Royal's vision and guidance that trumps the big game. My All American is one of the finest tributes to a fallen hero I've ever witnessed on celluloid. Aaron Eckhart's portrayal of coach Daryl Royal is wonderful. Smartly, the movie opens with an aged Royal giving an interview in which a young reporter asks which All American to come out of his system stood above all others. The answer is a perfect way to begin the re-telling of an inspirational story which could end with tremendous sadness, but celebrates how one player defined both the coach and team, and continues to do so. Special mention goes to Finn Whittrock's Freddie Stenmark. Whittrock honors the legacy with a moving, very realistic, look at one of football's all-time greats who deserves being remembered This is a movie, IMHO, that has such appeal that it should be seen by all…even those with no interest in football. A tremendous testament to a life well lived tragically cut short. It's not an understatement that in terms of sports meeting humanity this one stands with the classic "Pride of the Yankees". It's that good.