Draft Day
Coming up on NFL Draft day the Cleveland Browns have been flailing for some time and it’s up to general manager, Sonny Weaver Jr. (Kevin Costner), to put together a potentially winning team for next season. Meanwhile, his father’s legacy looms large in the halls and team confidence is at an all time low; can he make the right decisions with his assistant, Ali (Jennifer Garner), that will make his players, coaches, mother, ex wife, and even the Seattle Seahawks happy?
Directed by Ivan Reitman, the guy who used to hold the keys to the side door of the cinematic comedy palace, Draft Day is a mess. Here’s the recipe: 3 parts informational, 10 parts melodrama, 50 parts hokey, and a handful of jokes made at the Seattle Seahawks expense (intentional or otherwise). Blend all ingredients to a frappe of beige lumpy consistency and pour into tall glasses, refrigerate until mixture settles and serve at your next social function. So, there’s a little fun to be had here, and while new comers to football will appreciate the lessons the film has to offer, the overall story is so forced, so contrived, and so tied up in a little bow that eye rolls are almost mandatory at the film’s “exciting conclusion.” Maybe a rental. Draft Day is rated PG-13.