Draft Day, Ivan Reitman 2014
By Ali Tenenbaum
Draft Day zips along at a fine pace, even if you know little to anything about sports. The movie takes you through one full day in the NFL draft: wake up & morning shower through red carpet arrivals of big, broad-shouldered football playing men.
Kevin Costner, as a flawed hero with a recently deceased father and a surprise baby on the way, fills the screen with his usual charisma (yelling, screaming, tossing electronics and long thoughtful pauses). Jennifer Garner is a waste of space, as usual. Is it the roles she chooses? Or is it bad writing for women who play the girlfriend side bar? Regardless, she’s flat. And Costner, who has seen his fair share of sports movies, is barely charming and increasingly unoriginal as he ages. Reitman touches on a lot of interesting issues– money, injuries, loyalty, and legacy and takes us on an emotional roller coaster, but ultimately the movie is unmemorable.
Kids who love sports will love it. Grandmas who love sports (?!?) will also love it.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of Ora Media, LLC, its affiliates, or its employees.
