I’m NOT a sports fan, so I was pleasantly surprised when this film turned out to be enjoyable. It revolves around the day that NFL teams name their new players from the roster of college athletes. Kevin Costner plays the general manager of the Cleveland Browns, who grapples with his choice of #1 pick. Toss in a strong cast of “team” players, a romantic detour with Jennifer Garner and a bothersome sidetrip with his mom (Ellen Burstyn). There’s essentially no football footage. Most of this drama revolves around the wheeling and dealing that determines the final selection. Accomplished director Ivan Reitman has pulled a winning performance from Costner and added a split-screen gimmick to help boost the talky script. Even though I was sometimes confused by the sports talk, I still found it an absorbing game.
(3.5 / 5)