Realistic look at wheeling and dealing on NFL draft day

Rating: 8/10 (15 August 2017)

"Draft Day" is quite unusual as a sports movie. It doesn't show any of the cast actually playing or coaching in practice or a game. It does have some film clips of great NFL games of the past. What it's about is the behind the scenes big business of building teams each year during the NFL draft. It includes aspects of caring about players, talent scouts and searches, player agents, owners, coaches and team managers.
And, for the realism of this film, it includes scenes that show some of the NFL stadiums around the U.S. Other realism is added with the on-site filming of the 2013 NFL draft in New York City, and scripted reports by TV sports show hosts Chris Berman and others. While some may be put off by the backstage wrangling and big business aspects of professional football, this gives a glimpse of what that must be like. Without the NFL draft to regulate and help level the field for various franchises to build their teams, the sport would be chaotic and probably dwindle to just a few teams that had the backing to afford the salaries and costs.
The cast all perform well. Kevin Costner, as Sonny Weaver Jr., gives a real sense of the angst a manager must go through around the time of the annual NFL draft. All of the cast give good performances. I thought it somewhat strange and out of character, though, for Sonny's mother to insist on spreading her husband's ashes on the field on the most trying day of the year for her son. As a football wife and widow, she surely would have waited until the next day.
The film has a sense of reality about it. It's refreshing for not being laden with foul language. It has romance without the frequent Hollywood nudity or sex. It reflects the growing modern view of intimate relationships, including having children, with no thoughts or commitments for marriage.
Most sports fan should enjoy this film, and others should find it interesting. It may help non-enthusiasts to a little better understand the scope of professional football. My favorite line in the film is Ali (played by Jennifer Garner) telling Sonny, "There's no such thing as a sure thing. At the end of the day, all that matters is what do you think?" (sic)