Good "football" film that ends up missing the mark a bit.

Rating: Null/10 (28 November 2000)

Oliver Stone is a good director. He did one of my favorites, "Nixon". However, in this film he gets too caught up with "football for football's sake" which ends up turning a pretty good film into a mediocre one. A few examples - too many gratuitous shots of himself acting as a reporter, obvious use of former football stars, Johnny Unitas, Dick Butkus, Warren Moon, Barry Switzer, Y.A. Tittle as opposing coaches, or a cameo by Charleton Heston against a backdrop of Heston's Gladiator movie used in the film. Each one of these is "cute", but so many of them takes attention from what should have been a more serious treatment of his subject. Still, for the good football action plus a decent story, I rate it "7" of 10. The DD 5.1 surround sound on DVD is very good, and it makes you feel like you are on the field during action scenes, with player grunts and equipment sounds all around you. There is also a good "making of" feature on the DVD.
CAUTION - SPOILERS - my narration of events follows... The film starts with a quote from Lomardi, about the "field of battle". Then cut to a game in progress. The Miami Sharks had lost the last 3 but were leading. Their qb (Quaide) is injured, the 2nd qb is injured on his first play, and the 3rd qb (Jaime Foxx) didn't even know the playbook yet. Coach (Pacino) plays it safe and loses the game. Qb vomits each game when he goes in!
Next game, brash and confident qb Foxx ignores coaches, calls his own plays, wins game. Overconfident, and not a team player, he alienates his girlfriend, the coach, and all players and becomes ineffective. Only the owner (Cameron Diaz) likes him, because he is exciting and brings in money!
Meanwhile, Diaz is planning secretly to transfer the team to L.A., or to sell it. Very harshly evaluates coach Pacino. Several long speeches about "teamwork", and seeing the injured qb back in action, inspires qb Foxx making him realize what a heel he had been, apologises to his teammates, everyone pulls together, his qb sneak wins big playoff game aainst Dallas.
As credits roll, coach Pacino announces he will not be Miami coach next year, which pleases Diaz, however announces he will coach expansion Arizona team, and further, will take prize qb Foxx with him. Team owner Diaz not happy.
During the film there is ample nudity. Coach with prostitute. Owner Diaz walking into locker room while men are showering, including frontal male nudity. Lots of R-rated language in the film. In leisure time, football players behave like animals. I hope the real professional players, that we are paying $millions, are better humans than that.