Solid movie

Rating: 8/10 (11 May 2014)

It would be nice if reviewers knew something about football and pro sports in general prior to writing. Character counts, just ask the GM's who drafted Ryan Lief and Matt Leinart, athletics, even in college, are not about athletics, but about making money, and personal issues cloud thinking, just ask Donald Sterling and the drama surrounding his LA Clippers.
All that said, DD depicts managing a pro franchise not as a science but an opaque art, where the answers aren't seen at first, nor second glance, but with gut reactions. Costner's character manages the Cleveland Browns, after they've returned to the city, having been ripped out by the former owner. The current owner, played by Frank Langelle, has taken a huge risk in getting the franchise back to its original birthplace, and he needs to make money. The supposedly safe/sage pick is taking 'sure thing' qb from Wisconsin. Costner knows better, his dad, a former head coach, taught his the intricacies of the game, and defense and character make teams successful. But defensive players don't fill seats, and the game is played with throat slitting sentiment. The drama lies in that Costner won't do what's supposedly needed, he has to make the decision to play by the rules, or by his own standards.
It works, though many will get sidetracked by his relationship with Jennifer Garner, who plays a franchise functionary. It makes sense because Costner is going to have to speak about feelings, and he isn't going to do it with the other guys, he needs a female character in order to get that across. That's why JG is there, as a lyrical device needed to get that point across. Why? Because women watch movies too, and they don't give a crap about football, but about the story and relationships. That's why the movie works, because ultimately, it does what it's supposed to do, give you an insight into the arcane, often deranged, messy, convoluted world of running a pro sports business...