The Junction Boys

When I saw this movie being previewed, I figured we'd see all the sweat and tears portion of the movie in preparation for game day. I guess I was a little surprised when game day never came. Be that as it may, the movie generated an atmosphere completely fitting for the setting. The acting was better than average and the accents, to me, were very believable. I enjoyed it, but I wish we could have seen some games.

The Junction Boys was a disappointment for me. As with any movie a certain amount of liberties with the facts is expected. However, After seeing interviews with the REAL Junction Boys it is clear that the facts played a very small part in this motion picture. If the real story about The Bears first team at Texas A&M were told this would have been a great movie. Tom Berenger did a good job as Paul Bear Bryant, but it all ended there. ESPN should be ashamed of this production.

I saw this film last night and was really impressed. The story line was good and Tom Berringer I thought was a great Bear Bryant.I learned about the man through his portrayal of him. I am not going to get into what it is about because we already know but I will say at the end I got a little emotional and that is a hard thing for a film to make me do. Out of a 10 I give it a 7.

Tom Berenger does a nice, understated turn as a young Bear Bryant trimming the deadwood from his first Texas A&M squad. Bear's method - take the team to Junction, Texas, work the team to death and see who's left. I suspect the story's been somewhat "Hollywoodized". Just the same, it presents a fair picture of the positives and negatives of driving a team to the edge. Worth a view.

I'm not really a football fan but even *I've* heard of the great Bear Bryant. I didn't know how interesting I'd find this film, but found myself sucked in by it. I cared about the Junction boys, worried about them, and was shocked at what they had to endure. I stuck it to the end of the film, because I cared about their fate. I also was intrigued by the character of Bear Bryant. What was the deal with him? Why was he so tough and mean? What portion of this meanness was justified, and what wasn't?

I thought all the acting was pretty good. I confess I admired Tom Berenger's willingness to be seen looking rather "seedy". He still has the looks to play a leading man, (a middle-aged leading man, sure, but leading man nonetheless). So to be seen looking pot bellied, sweaty and a little dissipated was a bold and daring move, in my opinion. And he does a good job in his role; his accent is authentic, his tough meanness (and then humble contrition) is effective.

Nick Tate was excellent as Bryant's hard-drinking, grizzled assistant and I really got a kick out of him. The character of Johnny (Bernard Curry) especially made an impression. His sincere devotion to the game and his self-sacrificing willingness to put up with almost *any* abuse amazed me, and I especially found myself touched by his story.

I don't know much about football, and I certainly won't present myself as an expert on the story of Bear Bryant or Texas A & M. But I found this tale to be interesting enough.