Tom Berenger leads an outstanding cast in this bone-crunching dramatization of legendary college football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant’s debut at Texas A&M in the summer of 1954. The often unnerving story finds Bryant ducking the school’s good ol’ boy network of rich, influential alumni by spiriting his new team away to a makeshift training base in a tiny town called Junction. There, Bryant runs the equivalent of a POW camp, brutalizing an oversized, underdeveloped bunch of rowdy young men and tormenting those who seek medical attention for cracked spines and deadly heat exhaustion. Berenger delivers a warts-and-all performance as the vulgar, monstrous, yet much-respected Bryant, and the direction by seasoned television vet Mike Robe (Son of the Morning Star) is brisk and almost explosively charged. Whatever one thinks of Bryant’s punishing methods, the film does not flinch from telling its powerful tale. –Tom Keogh
Rating: 
(out of 19 reviews)
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September 30, 2010
#1
Review by J. C. Croyle
Rating:
I first watched this movie while working as a Behavioral Health worker with borderline criminial Adolecents age 12-17. A fellow co-worker brought the film in as a suprise “treat movie” for the kids.
In all my years (there have been many) I have never seen a reaction to a film from this population in all my life. The story of the team and Mr. Bryant and how it wa portrayed in this film made the kids begin to think of their own lives , and how they could do better for people.
It was a strange reaction to this film, but it truly moved them and myself.
As far as the film itself goes Berringer is great as is the support cast and the studio did an excellent job. I have heard the book is even better.
September 30, 2010
#2
Review by F.J
Rating:
The extra features on this disk are well worth the price but the movie itself is full of holes. Too much is left out. Paul Bryant comes out looking like a bad guy here which I’m sure doesn’t sit well with many college football fans. The extra features however are excellent. The ESPN presentations of Sports Century and The Real Junction Boys alone make this a worthy addition for any football fan. If you are interested in this story buy the book. It’s much more informative and portrays Bryant in a much better and understandable light. Was he mean? Yes! Was he ornery? Always! But you will understand why he became this way at this point in his career.
September 30, 2010
#3
Review by
Rating:
This movie really shows the tough practices at Junction with Bear Bryant. It was a very good movie and the story was great. The book is alot more descriptive, and the movie and book both share a story that will be remembered for a long time.
September 30, 2010
#4
Review by Rolltide
Rating:
There is nothing about this movie that sugar coats what happened at junction in 1954. Even coach bryant knew that he went too far and was too rigid with his rules and standards. So rigid that even players who were sick and injured from the ordeal were not allowed to stay on the team if they couldn’t practice. After A&M lost their first game in a blow out bryant said “that one was on me” because the players were too beat up. That 1-9 season was bryant’s only losing season ever! Understand the historical significance? The greatest college coach ever had a 1-9 team because of junction!
We need to have a historical perspective here. First of all texas a&m was not a small school. It is a big time major football school with a long history of winning. Back in the 1950s and even into the 60s it was not uncommon for coaches to work their players half to death in searing heat with no water. They believed then that it toughened them up. Read about bud wilkinson at oklahoma and you see the same thing. Also at that time you had a lot of walk ons. Students who played high school football but didn’t get a scholarship trying out for the team. These walk ons were treated very cruel as a means of thinning them out quickly. That happened here but it happened everywhere.
This is a movie about survival under incredibly tough circumstances. The fact that those circumstances were forced upon them doesn’t change that. Bryant loved those 35 men because he knew he pushed them too hard; because he knew he went too far. That is why he wore that ring to his grave And most of those 35 men loved him. The movie depicts a legendary 70 year old coach nervous like a school girl ready to meet these men 25 years later. He doesn’t know how many would be there or how they would respond to him. Most were there and most were successful in life and credited junction with preparing them for that success.
It is uncertain how bryant’s legendary status effected the opinion these men had of him 25 years after the ordeal. We do know that junction is not just an “appalling” story. It’s a story worth telling.
September 30, 2010
#5
Review by acedawg
Rating:
Excellent service. The movie arrived in great shape and within a week of ordering it