Review

by Sam S

Football comedy without drive

Particularly commendable for its 1920s production design, as well as it's period costumes and soundtrack. Clearly George Clooney has a love of early U.S. football history but also of screwball comedies of the 1930s. He has often been compared to matinee idols such as Cary Grant and indeed he does share some of the mannerisms of that star. This movie shares the reporter-based theme, and fast-talking performance style, of His Girl Friday which starred Grant. Whereas Grant was far more deadpanned, Clooney is working in a clearly comic register. Although the elements are in place for an interesting film, they ultimately do not gel. The story itself does not have nearly enough drive to hold interest and it's only really worth watching for touches of the performances of Clooney and Zellwegger.