Awfully constructed and largely boring, though Smith tries his hardest

Rating: 3/10 (1 March 2016)

Concussion has to be the worst edited film I've ever seen. In the first scene, Will Smith's lines of dialogue cut awkwardly across each other just as the camera inexplicably jumps from different angles. Much of the story is very hard to follow, such as showing the death of one NFL player and then discussing another, not approaching the on-screen death until about 20 minutes later. The death of Mike Webster is very confusing, as it shows him tasering himself (which Webster used as his only method of achieving sleep) and then cuts to his body on the operating table, implying heavily that the taser caused his death and contradicting the entire movie. Not to mention that the 2 hour movie feels more like 3, courtesy of sluggish pacing and unnecessary scenes. The story would have been better off having Omalu and his wife already married at the start, allowing for almost 10 minutes to cut footage right there.
Will Smith is the only reason to watch this movie. His accept is a large part of why he is able to disappear into Bennet Omalu, because you will watch him on screen and yet not see the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Sometimes you want to just say "yes Will, good acting, well done" such as an overdone scene where he smashes the wall and rocks back and forth like a child. Surprisingly, it is the subtle nuances that make Smith's performances, and its the wannabe Oscar scenes that leave a foul taste.
In the supporting cast, Albert Brooks and Alec Baldwin cancel each other out as they both clamour for screen time. Were one to lose, it should have been Brooks who comes across as a very inconsistent character and contributes very little. Alec Baldwin has a few nice moments but nothing to stand out, as does the infinitely under-appreciated Adewale Akkinouye-Agbaje. David Morse is the one who really stands out in his few scenes as Mike Webster. Mike O'Malley's caricature Daniel exists only to fluff up conflict and comes across as the embodiment of evil rather than having any legitimate protest.
There's nothing subtle about the way the story is seeking to be shut down. Peter Landesman scripted Kill the Messenger, and it should never have surprised me that he's using so many of the same elements here. FBI agents show up, ostensibly in cahoots with the NFL (which never happened in real life). The main character's wife is stalked. They dig up dirt on main characters to discredit them. And then there's the final redemption, involving a speech to a quiet audience. He did them better in Kill the Messenger, whereas here (especially because they are largely fictitious) they come across as silly.
Concussion tells an interesting story, but there's nothing gripping about it. Put it on in the background, but don't rush out to see it.