Draft Day

Yes the draft math and fantasy trade scenarios are totally unrealistic, but that's what makes it so fun. It's a well made movie, with brisk pacing and scenes that will make you smile. It's a good time.

There have been a number of films that have focused on the off the field and locker room drama of big time sports, but not many have taken us behind the curtain of the front office side. With the NFL draft now akin to a national holiday in the United States, the high stakes game behind the scenes is arguably more compelling than the one that takes place between the lines on Sundays.

Kevin Costner leads a solid cast, proving once again that though he may not have the widest range, when he's in his wheelhouse there are few who can touch him. The story is ultimately a complete fairytale, but then again most sports movies are.

Though its tepid romantic subplot feels tacked-on to cover all of the demographical bases, Ivan Reitman's 'Draft Day' still delivers a fast paced and well acted dramedy that should please NFL fans. For others, your mileage may vary.

Give Kevin Costner a good human-interest role and he can bring his unique star power making it both entertaining and compelling. As an adult I've grown less enamored with pro football and in fairness I'm from Alabama where college football is all it can be and pro isn't a factor. That said, it's the corporate money machine mentality that, in my humble opinion, soils the things I fondly remember of the ancient NFC/AFC of the sixties (where loyalty trumped money often for an entire career).

Well, this movie makes that big-business drama work as something much more human. Where the general managers struggle like desperate children for some kind of immediate better future. When even in the last hours those gilded picks are subject to human-error and wild scrambling per last minute decisions and deals. The kind of deals that come not just from statistics, but deeper beliefs. I'd say Draft Day brings this kind of tense drama to the screen with aplomb Is it a true representation? I'd say it doesn't matter because this is a movie and it's a good one.

This evenly paced sports film will not rank as one of the best movies in its genre but it is overall solid as a stand alone movie. I enjoyed the acting of Costner, Leary and the athletes depicted as being the draft picks. The visuals on panning to the stadiums and front offices of Buffalo, Houston, Kansas City and Jacksonville was a nice touch. The background stories away from the football theme did not gain traction and the personal relationship between Costner and Jennifer garner did not seem real. If you are not a football fan I would skip the movie all together. The biggest issue for me is that that the draft pick interaction between Seattle, Cleveland and Jacksonville seemed way to far fetched. I do not believe it to be realistic. I will give it the benefit of doubt however since I do know that the trades on draft day can be amazing and one sided.(Hershel walker to Vikings from Dallas as one example) Draft day marches down the field well but it needs to settle for a field goal. (Sandcrane)

The countdown clock is rolling…Sonny Weaver Jr (Kevin Costner) the General Manager of the Cleveland Browns has a decision to make. Sonny has the first pick in the NFL Draft. Whomever he selects, his job, the job of Coach Penn (Denis Leary) not to mention the future of a billion dollar franchise and the hopes and dreams of a city ride on what he decides.

Draft Day is the latest entry in the sports drama from Kevin Costner, no stranger to epic sports films such as Bull Durham and Tin Cup. Draft Day is about the hours leading up to the NFL Draft and the turbulent drama, relationships and chaos enveloping the beleaguered General Manager of the Cleveland Browns…Sonny Weaver Jr. The film opens with Weaver's girlfriend and colleague, Allie (Jennifer Garner) announces to him that she is pregnant with their child. As the day continues Weaver works the phones with various general managers, all of whom try to fleece him for draft positioning. With pressure mounting by owner Anthony Molina (Frank Langella) Weaver succumbs to the rip off deal proposed by the Seattle Seahawks GM to move up to the top pick in the draft. As news of the trade is leaked via the Twittersphere, everybody and their brother is up in arms as the previously expected pick of fearsome linebacker Vontae Mack (Chadwick Boseman) is now thrown into doubt and the projected top pick in the draft, Wisconsin Quarterback and franchise making player Bo Callahan (Josh Pence) is within reach for Sonny.

As the film continues, Weaver investigates the curious Bo Callahan via his head of security who uncovers some bizarre behavior by the top prospect. Meanwhile Weavers mother arrives at Sonny's office to honor her late husband (who died the previous week) Sonny's dad and former coach of the Cleveland Browns…whom Sonny fired. Through the day Weaver is left to resolve his issues with Allie in between screaming matches with his owner, players, coaches and basically any body he makes eye contact with. There are plenty of cameo appearances with real NFL players and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, including a rather pointless appearance by Sean "P-Diddy" Combs as Bo Callahan's agent

THE VERDICT: Draft Day is ultimately a story about choices, their consequences and ultimately redemption set again the wheeling and dealing of what has become an important day for sports fans. Comedy directing legend, Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters, Stripes) takes a departure into the realm of the sports drama to helm DraftDay. Reitman expertly guides his characters through the standard sport films clichés and keeps the film at a high level so that hardcore sports fans as well as non sports fans can appreciate the film. The film is a well paced whirlwind drama that makes for an enjoyable outing at the movies.

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