Leatherheads, the commedy movie
Director:
George Clooney
Stars:
George Clooney, Renée Zellweger, John Krasinski
Studio:
Universal Pictures
THE BUZZ:
His Girl Friday meets Any Given Sunday as Clooney attempts to put an old-style screwball comedy spin on the then-nascent sport of professional football. Assuming you can get over the titular headgear (can Clooney even make this look good?) it all sounds perky enough, and hopefully Clooney can translate his quirky sense of humor to the director’s chair. Zellweger also makes a canny move back to comedy (though dial down the squinting, please!), and we’re happy that Krasinski finally gets a chance to crack his Office persona.
The Synopsis:
Release timing issues aside, Leatherheads is a pleasant enough comedy - one of those movies that offers plenty of smiles and warmhearted chuckles but no big belly laughs. The dialogue in particular is rich and witty, and delivered in a rat-a-tat fashion that demands perfect timing. The verbal jousting between George Clooney and Renée Zellweger intentionally echoes the battles between Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn that lit up the screens more than a half-century ago. The occasional profanity notwithstanding, this is an old-fashioned film that may leave younger viewers scratching their heads. Leatherheads is carefully crafted and works on its own terms, but it’s not Clooney’s most accessible movie. (Although, at least as a director, mainstream appeal has not been his primary goal.)
It’s 1925 and professional football has yet to evolve to the point where it’s more than a sideshow played on torn-up rented fields in front of collapsing, mostly empty grandstands. The college game thrives but there’s no future for those who want to play past graduation. Along comes aging player Dodge Connelly (Clooney), who has an idea, and he approaches sports promoter C.C. Frazier (Jonathan Pryce) with his proposal. He wants to recruit star university player Carter Rutherford (John Krasinski), a decorated war hero and pin-up boy, to play for the Duluth Bulldogs for a guaranteed $10,000 per game. The deal is quickly inked and professional football goes from a blip on the back page of the sports section to front page material. Along with Carter comes newswoman Lexie Littleton (Zellweger), who’s digging into Carter’s background to uncover the truth about his supposed WWI exploits. She and Dodge clash, but the sparks are evident from their first meeting.
Despite its comedic roots, Leatherheads briefly touches on a couple of intriguing issues, although neither is pursued with great vigor. Clooney emphasizes an element that was the point of Clint Eastwood’s Flags of Our Fathers - that when heroes don’t exist, the media will create them. In Carter’s case, the truth doesn’t match the legend, but even many who know are willing to look the other way. A telling point is also made about the impact of money on sports. Leatherheads is in part about the transformation of football from a game to a business and the way in which the injection of serious money into the sport leeches away the fun. Dodge is an old-timer, one who’s out there to ignore the rules and enjoy himself. Carter, the well-groomed, serious professional, represents the future.
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