Concussion - directed by Peter Landesman
Starring: Will Smith, Alec Baldwin, Albert Brooks, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Arliss howard, David Morse, Eddie Marsan, Stephen Moyer, Paul Reiser, Luke Wilson, Hill Harper, Richard T Jones, Sara Lindsay, Mike O'Malley
Screenplay: Peter Landesman
Music Score by: James Newton Howard
Cinematography: Salvatore Totino
Edited by: William Goldenberg
Running Time: 123 minutes
Rated: M - Language
This movie has been mentioned frequently in the recent discussions over the lack of black nominees at the 88th Academy Awards.
Chiefly because many felt that Will Smith deserved a Best Actor nomination.
So seeing it (finally) this morning just hours before the actual Oscar ceremony provided an extra dimension as I took extra special care in watching Smith's performance.
More on that later but firstly- what a very, very good movie "Concussion" is.
This film tells the based on fact story of Dr Bennett Omalu a forensic pathologist who discovered that NFL players were being exposed to huge risks from constant concussion inducing hits.
Normally you wouldn't expect this sort of stuff to be ripe for the movie treatment.
Surely a doctor discovering an issue is the start and end of the story - right?
No... not when there is a huge entertainment entity like the NFL in the frame.
The organisation didn't take kindly to being told that they were implicit in the injuries and deaths of the stars of their show- the players.
We see several with anger issues, voices in their heads and many end their own lives.
It isn't a minor issue.
The NFL's action as a result of the doctor's findings is the real reason that there is a story worthy of a major motion picture.
Dr Omalu was born in Nigeria and as we find out in the opening scene he is a highly educated man.
Giving evidence that ultimately stops the execution of an innocent man he is also shown to be articulate and passionate.
I was drawn in immediately because I am always fascinated by smart people and by movies that celebrate them.
Underdog movies or films about morons like "Dude Where's My Car?" are all well and good but shouldn't we be saving our biggest cheers for those who push our species forward not backwards?
Based on this film Bennett Omalu certainly qualifies as such.
We see him performing autopsies during which he speaks to the corpses with genuine care and respect.
All that I know about the real man is what I saw in this film I should note so who knows if this is accurate or not.
However Smith's performance creates an amazing character whose fight to bring his research to the fore is easy to get behind.
There is no sign of the Will Smith from his big name hits such as "Men in Black" or "Independence Day".
There is no "Aw, hell no!!" exclamations or cheesy grins and the like.
This is his easily best performance in some time.
I was so caught up with the character at the centre of the film it didn't occur to me that there didn't seem to be a story here.
As fascinating as it is watching the research that finds a cause for a famous NFL players untimely death it would appear that this would be the end of it.
Then there are a couple of suicides by ex-players and Dr Omalu's research is published and the crap hits the fan.
The NFL exerts an obscene amount of pressure on a man who is merely trying to protect fellow human beings.
Honestly- this is infuriating stuff.
The FBI gets involved with a crazy raft of charges against Dr Omalu's boss (an excellent Albert Brooks)
Omalu does have further support in the form of a former Pittsburgh Steelers team doctor (Alec Baldwin) and a new love interest (the lovely Gugu Mbatha-Raw)
This movie quickly turns into little guy against the world kind of deal and it is riveting.
Jeanne Marie Laskas wrote the GQ article that this is based on but it was later a book also.
It is a story well deserving of being told on the big screen however.
Like "The Big Short" this is a movie that is likely to induce anger in many viewers- certainly it did in me.
That large organisations can be so devious, nasty and underhand in protecting their own self interest no matter who it hurts (or in this case - kills) really gets to me.
Ironically, even though this is one of the strengths of the movie it also counts as a weakness.
When charges are brought against Omalu's boss Cyril Wecht including the ridiculous misuse of a fax machine I would have thought that details as to how this is possible would have been revealed but it seems this is perfectly normal.
The FBI seems to be operating at the request of the NFL and this isn't explained??!!
Regardless of minor complaints this is a compelling story with a raft of superb performances.
And as Will Smith not getting an Oscar Nomination?
Well, I think it is worthy but over the years the number of performances that I thought were worthy that were not nominated cannot be counted on two hands and two feet.
And given that this movie paints the NFL- a national institution loved by many- in a bad light it occurs to me that it being ignored for any awards could be related to that more than race.
I don't know but regardless of any controversy Smith deserves a lot of praise for his work here.
RATING: 78/ 100
CONCLUSION: A well crafted flick with a genuinely excellent performance from Smith.
Screenplay: Peter Landesman
Music Score by: James Newton Howard
Cinematography: Salvatore Totino
Edited by: William Goldenberg
Running Time: 123 minutes
Rated: M - Language
This movie has been mentioned frequently in the recent discussions over the lack of black nominees at the 88th Academy Awards.
Chiefly because many felt that Will Smith deserved a Best Actor nomination.
So seeing it (finally) this morning just hours before the actual Oscar ceremony provided an extra dimension as I took extra special care in watching Smith's performance.
More on that later but firstly- what a very, very good movie "Concussion" is.
This film tells the based on fact story of Dr Bennett Omalu a forensic pathologist who discovered that NFL players were being exposed to huge risks from constant concussion inducing hits.
Normally you wouldn't expect this sort of stuff to be ripe for the movie treatment.
Surely a doctor discovering an issue is the start and end of the story - right?
No... not when there is a huge entertainment entity like the NFL in the frame.
The organisation didn't take kindly to being told that they were implicit in the injuries and deaths of the stars of their show- the players.
We see several with anger issues, voices in their heads and many end their own lives.
It isn't a minor issue.
The NFL's action as a result of the doctor's findings is the real reason that there is a story worthy of a major motion picture.
 |
| Will Smith, Alec Baldwin and Arliss Howard |
Giving evidence that ultimately stops the execution of an innocent man he is also shown to be articulate and passionate.
I was drawn in immediately because I am always fascinated by smart people and by movies that celebrate them.
Underdog movies or films about morons like "Dude Where's My Car?" are all well and good but shouldn't we be saving our biggest cheers for those who push our species forward not backwards?
Based on this film Bennett Omalu certainly qualifies as such.
We see him performing autopsies during which he speaks to the corpses with genuine care and respect.
All that I know about the real man is what I saw in this film I should note so who knows if this is accurate or not.
However Smith's performance creates an amazing character whose fight to bring his research to the fore is easy to get behind.
There is no sign of the Will Smith from his big name hits such as "Men in Black" or "Independence Day".
There is no "Aw, hell no!!" exclamations or cheesy grins and the like.
This is his easily best performance in some time.
 |
| Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Prema - the soon to be Mrs Omalu |
As fascinating as it is watching the research that finds a cause for a famous NFL players untimely death it would appear that this would be the end of it.
Then there are a couple of suicides by ex-players and Dr Omalu's research is published and the crap hits the fan.
The NFL exerts an obscene amount of pressure on a man who is merely trying to protect fellow human beings.
Honestly- this is infuriating stuff.
The FBI gets involved with a crazy raft of charges against Dr Omalu's boss (an excellent Albert Brooks)
Omalu does have further support in the form of a former Pittsburgh Steelers team doctor (Alec Baldwin) and a new love interest (the lovely Gugu Mbatha-Raw)
This movie quickly turns into little guy against the world kind of deal and it is riveting.
Jeanne Marie Laskas wrote the GQ article that this is based on but it was later a book also.
It is a story well deserving of being told on the big screen however.
Like "The Big Short" this is a movie that is likely to induce anger in many viewers- certainly it did in me.
 |
| Will Smith with the real Bennett Omalu |
Ironically, even though this is one of the strengths of the movie it also counts as a weakness.
When charges are brought against Omalu's boss Cyril Wecht including the ridiculous misuse of a fax machine I would have thought that details as to how this is possible would have been revealed but it seems this is perfectly normal.
The FBI seems to be operating at the request of the NFL and this isn't explained??!!
Regardless of minor complaints this is a compelling story with a raft of superb performances.
And as Will Smith not getting an Oscar Nomination?
Well, I think it is worthy but over the years the number of performances that I thought were worthy that were not nominated cannot be counted on two hands and two feet.
And given that this movie paints the NFL- a national institution loved by many- in a bad light it occurs to me that it being ignored for any awards could be related to that more than race.
I don't know but regardless of any controversy Smith deserves a lot of praise for his work here.
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