Any Given Sunday
Before it turned into the watered down, money hungry, showbiz spectacle where the hype and revenue earned by ratings was more important than the game itself, the sport of football was one of the last examples of truly primal, almost bestial displays of open combat allowed and enjoyed in our culture, where only the toughest of men could both survive and thrive in its brutal yet lucrative environment. Of course, with the commercial advancement and corruption of the purity of the game by the NFLās current commissioner and executives, it would appear that what once made the sport great (much like pro wrestling) is now a thing of the past. Oliver Stoneās 1999 Overlooked Masterpiece about the game of pro football was condemned in many quarters for its style and storyline, with the NFL actually barring all active players from having any kind of role in its making (Terrell Owens being the only one to defy that ruling with a small role as a team receiver) while denying Stone any and all access and rights to its logos and trademarks up to and including direct references to the league itself, while their virtual media partner ESPN arrogantly proclaimed it as the āworst sports movie ever madeā, when the truth is (Caddyshack notwithstanding) it may actually be The BEST Sports Movie Ever Made, if not for realism than for being able to capture so well the actual spirit of the game (or what it used to be) while the naysayersā real point of concern was some of the unpleasant truths exposed about life in the NFL that they didnāt want to see put out there, validated even more so by the amazing list of (retired by then) Hall Of Famers and Legends who not only had major speaking parts in the film, but also cameos and did offscreen consulting during the filming, including but not limited to Jim Brown (an old pro when it came to acting by this point getting some nice moments as the defensive coach), Lawrence Taylor (surprisingly very, very good at showing emotion while basically playing himself and talking of his love for the game), Irving Fryar, Joe Schmidt, Ricky Watters, Barry Switzer, Bob St. Clair, Y.A. Tittle, Dick Butkus, Warren Moon, and even Johnny Unitas himself. The story concerns a fictional pro football team in Miami and its longtime revered Head Coach played by Al Pacino (an undisputed acting legend at this time nonetheless turning this part into one he seemed born to play) trying to figure out how to turn a tough season around when his legendary Dan Marino-like starting quarterback (Dennis Quaid) is brutally injured and knocked out of the game (along with his backup) leading to Pacino turning to his very green third string quarterback played by Jamie Foxx and sending him out into the lionās den, only for the kid to find his groove by suddenly calling his own plays which results in winning games, which in turn leads to Foxx having animosity with Pacino, Quaid, and literally the entire team who doesnāt appreciate the showboat attitude, made worse by Foxx doing a rap video and going on talk shows spouting insane rhetoric about black men in America being specifically bred and raised to participate in sports like football but not being allowed to coach or own teams (the subversive nature of much of this is off the charts), even as he has the backing of the greedy, unscrupulous heiress owner of the team played by Cameron Diaz as a woman more obsessed with reputation and social status than winning ball games. Indeed, Foxx in the part is an amazing display of verve and likable arrogance, with the kicker being that since Foxx has had trouble playing the political game his whole career since college which relegated him to the bench for a number of years, now that he has the spotlight heās gonna make the most of it with the time heās got left, a stance that winds up both impressing and offending Pacino and makes him rethink things in his own life, and then only when Quaid (madly paranoid about losing his starting job before depression kicks in) comes back from injury to give a near suicidal performance on the field of play, does Foxx come to understand the value of maturity and sacrifice in the name of the team. On the flip side is Diaz influencing the team doctor (James Woods) to alter medical results in order to keep LT out there playing despite the risk of a potentially fatal injury, and of course the never ending parties, social gatherings, and drug use the players engage in as often as possible. Other big names in the cast include LL Cool J, Matthew Modine, Bill Bellamy, Andrew Bryniarski, Lela Rochon, Lauren Holly, Ann-Margret, Aaron Eckhart, Elizabeth Berkley, The Man Charlton Heston, John C. McGinley, James Karen, Gianni Russo, and Stone himself surprisingly solid in the most substantial acting role heās ever had as the teamās color commentator. Most importantly, it is Stoneās trademark frenetic, over the top shooting and editing style that fits the material perfectly, even mixing in old, genuine football footage to create a hauntingly prescient effect, along with a top notch soundtrack that brings the pulse pounding nature of the game to life. Even moreso, it is the spirit of camaraderie that those who know about playing the game of football at any level will recognize as being literally captured on screen, a spirit and soul that The NFL must have known was rapidly disappearing from their own radar as the lure of profitability and a mercenary attitude (as seen with Cool Jās running back) trumping out loyalty and love for a team and the people of its home city. In the end, a true sports movie masterpiece that is about its chosen sport more than any other ever madeā¦
10/10