More than just football

Rating: 7/10 (9 December 2006)

I have found Oliver Stone's films to be quite hit or miss. Platoon is one of my favorite movies, yet I can't stand Alexander. So where does Any Given Sunday rank in Stone's career? Better than average. While over the top and at times not very realistic, the acting is solid and the story is compelling. Pacino's speech towards the end is definitely a stand-out moment. While I am not a fan of this growing trend of "hyper-editing", a la Tony Scott's last few outings as well as Natural Born Killers, for me it doesn't hurt this movie. In my eyes Any Given Sunday is underrated. This is probably, and understandably, due to its graphic nature and appealing mainly to men. There is a lot going on under the surface when you begin to peel back the layers. Pacinos coach has such a sadness to him that is nearly palpable. There is an interesting subplot dealing with Matthew Modine's character. The usage of real former NFL players like Lawrence Taylor and Jim Brown feel natural. This isn't just a sports movie, it deals with real human emotions and is definitely not sugar-coated. If you have liked some Stone movies like Wall Street, Platoon, and JFK, it's worth checking this one out.