‘Leatherheads’ is Enjoyable for its Demographic
-----With the early days of football as its premise and the charismatic George Clooney as its lead, ‘Leatherheads’ looked like old school slapstick fun. Fortunately, its leads do enough to pull it through slow moments and the comedy does the rest.
-----In the early 1920s professional football was a joke. Though the sport had thousands of spectators for College competitions, the pros were lucky to have over a hundred in attendance at their games. When Dodge Connelly (George Clooney)’s team loses its sponsor and the whole league seems to be at a dead end, he gets an idea. Skillfully recruiting College star Carter Rutherford (John Krasinski) to the team, Connelly sets out to save the league and pack the stands. Rutherford is a war hero who has become the nation’s sweetheart due to the legendary tales of his valor and, of course, his athletic prowess. Seeing the story to be an improbable gimmick, journalist Lexie Littleton (Renée Zellweger) sets out to expose the sham. Naturally, Connelly and Rutherford take interest in the seductive reporter and soon find themselves conflicted between their own comradeship and their lust for her.
-----George Clooney plays the classic character we’ve come to expect from him in these sorts of roles. He effectively carries the movie and even has some good comedic moments with his fellow leads as the persistent has-been, Dodge Connelly. John Krasinski, famous for his work on TV’s ‘The Office’ also plays a character similar to other work he’s done. Not a jerk, but agreeably cocky, he develops a good chemistry with Clooney, but seems a bit out of place with costar Renée Zellweger. Perhaps it’s the age difference or occasional poor scripting, but I’m not sure about the relationship there. As for Zellweger, as the film’s third wheel of sorts, she does her part, but as I previously stated works better with Clooney than Krasinski.
-----The script is slow in a good number of places, but the casts overall enthusiasm and old school style and presence make this one worth a viewing. With the plot containing many elements of style related to the 20s era it takes place in, a mood is effectively set that reminds you of some of the good hearted movies form decades ago. There are definitely some clever tricks and some quality humor for fans of the sport or any of the leads. The costumes and sets and art direction are done with a quaint style that becomes one of the film’s better points. The ability to be laid back, un-epic, and still enjoyable, also lends itself to this film. This calm outlook will ultimately entertain most looking for a casual movie-going experience.
-----While it’s nothing to write home about, and even somewhat forgettable, people who enjoyed the trailer will probably enjoy the film too. While much of the humor does fall flat, the leads never let on and the end product is a seldom seen film for mature viewers and adults that contains no legitimate violence, vulgarity, or obscenity. The movie’s a bit refreshing, but also a bit mediocre, and one viewing will satisfy the viewer who initially has any interest in the film. Others, including young children and audience members who rely on fast-paced action will most likely find themselves disappointed.
