The Express (2008): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
The Express is a 2008 biographical drama directed by Gary Fleder, starring Rob Brown, Dennis Quaid and Clancy Brown. It runs 2 hours 10 minutes and earned $9.8 million worldwide on a $40 million budget. Critics gave it 63% on Rotten Tomatoes and 58 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.2/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 10m (130 min)
- Director
- Gary Fleder
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Universal Pictures
- Budget
- $40M
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Express About?
The premise of The Express without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
The story follows Ernie Davis, the first African American to be awarded the Heisman Trophy, as he overcomes significant obstacles both on and off the football field. Guided by Coach Ben Schwartzwalder, Davis breaks down racial barriers and earns the respect of his teammates and rivals. His journey to greatness is fraught with challenges, forcing him to confront prejudice and personal hardship while striving for victory.
The Express Themes & Keywords
· 17 tags- john f. kennedy character
- african american
- syracuse university
- coach
- football movie
- nonlinear timeline
- 1950s
- 1940s
- student athlete
- 1960s
- american football
- based on true story
+5 more Show fewer
- united states of america
- cleveland ohio
- american football sport
- college
- football
The Express Cast
Rob Brown leads the cast, with Dennis Quaid and Clancy Brown. Directed by Gary Fleder.
-
Director Gary Fleder
The Express Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave The Express 63% on Rotten Tomatoes and 58 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.2/10.
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IMDb 7.2 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 63% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 75%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 58 Metascore
User score 7.8
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 71% User score
See on TMDB
The Express Plot Summary
What happens in The Express from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 10 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 1-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Based on a remarkable true story, The Express chronicles the uplifting journey of college football superstar Ernie Davis (Rob Brown), who made history as the first African-American to be awarded the prestigious Heisman Trophy. After being drafted into the NFL, tragedy struck the promising athlete, preventing him from stepping onto the professional field. However, his story would leave an indelible mark on the world of professional sports.
Born into poverty in the Southern Tier of New York State, Davis faced daunting challenges but ultimately emerged as an unstoppable running back for the Syracuse Orangemen. Guided by his hard-nosed coach, Ben Schwartzwalder (Dennis Quaid), who acted as a surrogate father and was fiercely dedicated to winning a national championship, Davis evolved from a standout high school player into a sports legend.
Full summary
The whole story of The Express, scene by scene
The Express Box Office & Budget
The Express grossed $9.8 million worldwide on a $40 million budget, 25% of what it cost. $9.8 million came from the US and Canada and $14,718 (0%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$9.8M
25% of its budget back
- US & Canada
- $9.8M
- International
- $14.7K
- Budget
- $40M
The Express Trailers & Videos
4 videos: 1 trailer and 3 clips.
- Clip Ernie's High School Days Are Over! - Extended Preview
- Clip The Longhorns Game
- Clip Driving For Greatness - Extended Preview
How Well Do You Know The Express?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who is the main character of The Express?
Cars in The Express
21 cars on screen, including the 1939 Chevrolet Master De Luxe and the 1957 GMC PD 4104.
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1939 Chevrolet Master De Luxe Important role -
1957 GMC PD 4104 Important role -
1959 Chevrolet Corvette C1 Minor role -
1951 Chevrolet Styleline De Luxe Minor role
The Express Also Known As
19 alternative titles, including “The Express The Ernie Davis Story” and “El expreso de Elmira”.
- Also known as
-
- The Express The Ernie Davis Story
- El expreso de Elmira
- Экспресс: История легенды спорта Эрни Дэвиса
- The Express - A História de Ernie Davis
- The Express: La historia de Ernie Davis
- 生命快车
- Az expressz (A megállíthatatlan)
- המהיר
- Ekspres - bohater futbolu
- No Limite: A História de Ernie Davis
- Историята на Ърни Дейвис
- 더 익스프레스
+7 more Show fewer
- Express: Ernie Davis’in Hikâyesi
- The Express: Un héroe que marcó la historia
- 生命快車
- Ekspresas
- Експрес: Історія легенди спорту Ерні Девіса
- Expresul
- エクスプレス 負けざる男たち
Seen The Express?
Movies Like The Express
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including American Underdog, Remember the Titans and Safety.
The Express FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of The Express, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Express?
The Express runs 2 hours 10 minutes (130 minutes).
When was The Express released?
The Express was released on October 10, 2008.
Who directed The Express?
The Express was directed by Gary Fleder.
More films by Gary Fleder Who is in the cast of The Express?
The Express stars Rob Brown, Dennis Quaid and Clancy Brown.
How much did The Express make at the box office?
The Express grossed $9.8 million worldwide ($9.8 million domestic, $14,718 international) on a budget of $40 million.
How is The Express rated?
The Express has 7.2/10 on IMDb, 63% on Rotten Tomatoes, 58 on Metacritic and 71% on TMDB.
Does The Express have a post-credit scene?
No. The Express has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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