Marshawn Lynch: A History

Marshawn Lynch: A History

By David Shields

  • Genre: Documentary
  • Release Date: 2019-07-28
  • Advisory Rating: Unrated
  • Runtime: 1h 24min
  • Director: David Shields
  • Production Country: United States of America
  • iTunes Price: USD 8.99
  • iTunes Rent Price: USD 3.99
6.5/10
6.5
From 2 Ratings
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Description

Lynch: A History is a kaleidoscopic look at NFL star Marshawn Lynch and his use of silence as a form of protest. Culling more than 700 video clips and placing them in dramatic, rapid, and radical juxtaposition, the film is a powerful political parable about the American media-sports complex and its deep complicity with racial oppression. "The film’s relentless rhythm overwhelms and overpowers you, as random acts of terror, across time and space, reveal themselves as a pattern. It’s a gradient of American carnage." -Hua Hsu, The New Yorker “Lynch: A History opened my eyes to a way of seeing Marshawn Lynch in a wider context. This film is different and real—just like Marshawn, who is as genuine as they come.” -Kenny Mayne, co-host, SportsCenter/ESPN

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Reviews

  • Chicago Sun-Times sports columnist

    5
    By Rick Telander
    `Marshawn: a History" is one of the most fascinating, thought-provoking documentaries I've seen in a long time. It builds in drama until you don't want it to stop,unfolding in a seemingly random fashion until slowly you realize the film has come together from its disparate parts to create a deep statement not just about a famous athlete, but about a man of vast pride and internal conflict.The statements it makes about race and the difficult, at times dehumanizing, aspects of pro football are things this NFL-mad country needs to ponder. I don't know how David Shileds did this with no narration and no frills--just interviews, news clips, historical imagery and football footage, but he did. Amazing. Can't stop thinking about it.

  • Amazing

    4
    By XXXXXZXC
    I greatly admire the work that went into this film. Someone who has never made a film can;t possibly understand how much physical, mental work, plus time, it must have taken to complete the film. For me the core of the film is Marshon Lynch, of course. I am not a football fan so I didn't know his name, but watching him carry the football and throw off tackles was amazing. I was also impressed with the courage he showed in not playing the puppet to the media and their questions. He obviously suffered by this behavior since he was fined and reprimanded so I applaud his behavior.

  • Positively Eye-Opening

    5
    By Steiner_Reads
    As someone with little previous exposure to the world of sports, I found this documentary riveting. In this complex portrait of athlete-activist Marshawn Lynch, the stakes are life-or-death and the tension is carefully built and then periodically eased through humor. The movie consists of a series of clips connected in a way that is fluid and easy to follow, even when those connections are delightfully abstract. Shields never loses sight of the story he presents - that of how Marshawn Lynch forever changed the relationship between Black athletes and white spectators, and how his interactions with the media established a precedent for celebrities in the world of football and beyond.

  • Marshawn Lynch: A History

    5
    By Catherine Hayner
    ***** Catherine Hayner, Bainbridge Island, WA I love everything this film represents. Lynch-Buttigieg 2020 I’m thankful.

  • Unconventional, entertaining film

    5
    By Ian M Stevenson
    This is a powerful and unorthodox film. The lack of narration and deftly edited footage addresses much more than the life of Marshawn Lynch. By combining historical footage, interviews, television shows, game highlights, and demonstrations, Shields stitches together a rich film that brings a fascinating perspective to this enigmatic football player. It is entertaining, funny, disturbing, and thought-provoking.

  • Artistic, important film

    5
    By plaidpower1
    I do not follow much in the way of sports or experimental cinema, but this movie came across my attention because I like David Shields' writing, including his work on sports and race. The jump-cuts are funny, informative, disturbing, and always provocative. This is an engaging film in terms of its form, and a timely, important film in terms of its content.

  • Fighting the Power (With Silence)

    5
    By Baseballpajamas
    This unique video collage paints a picture of race and power in America through the lens of professional football. Charismatic and idiosyncratic, Marshawn Lynch comes to the NFL just wanting to play ball, but finds himself at odds with a league of "owners" that wants him to perform in other ways too. His resistance is at the core of this story. Completely built from short clips of archival footage, this film is nontraditional in style, but resonates longer than any standard documentary on Lynch would.

  • BEAST MODE

    5
    By Al Pine
    Important. Mesmerizing. Compelling and thought-provoking in all its chaotic glory. The film shows Marshawn's brilliance in a way I hadn't truly realized before even as a huge Seahawks fan.

  • Lynch

    5
    By mlbmbg
    Remarkable film NOT about football! It opened my eyes to a world that I am not really familiar with! The staccato pace and choice of music blends perfectly with the sometimes very uncomfortable reality of the state of our nation. Absolutely worth watching!

  • above and beyond

    5
    By MJG_NYC
    This movie was a revelation and went above and beyond my expectations. So much more than a movie about the great Marshawn Lynch. It's a revealing and thoughtful rendering of a great athlete that places him into a border historical context, and illuminates his courage in fighting racial injustice.

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