Draft DayPosted by Wilson Morales
After the success of Moneyball, leave it up to Kevin Costner come back to the sports world with “Draft Day,” a compelling portrait of what goes through the minds of coaches and players as their young and old futures are on the line. Costner, who’s no stranger to the sports genre having done “American Flyers,” “Bull Durham,” “Field of Dreams,” “Tin Cup,” and “For The Love Of The Game,” is solid and charismatic in the predictable but enjoyable film. For those who are true fans of the sports, the film doesn’t give an accurate portrayal to the business side of the game, but it present some similarities that few will relate with and find watchable.
It’s summertime and the draft is approaching. Everyone is vying for the top talent. For teams who have top picks in the upcoming draft, it’s a make or break situation. Sonny Weaver Jr (Kevin Costner) is the general manager of the Clevelend Browns. He has one of the top picks of the draft and emotionally beat as to what to do and who to pick. Everyone wants and assumes he will pick Bo Callahan (Josh Pence), a quarterback and the top prospect of the draft, but Sonny has other players in mind that may not please his owner (Frank Langella), his coaching staff and current players on the team. Having replaced the previous coach, his father, Sonny’s mother (Ellen Burstyn) is still around to tell him to do what’s best for the team. On his side but staying neutral is his girlfriend and the team’s account exec (Jennifer Garner).
Much of the day before the draft is spent making phone calls and a lot of back-room deals. Before Sonny can believe in Bo, he needs to make sure he’s making the right decision. Other candidates include a running back (Chadwick Boseman) who has had some personal issues that made his stock, and the son of the former Browns (Terry Crews) who’s just as good as his dad. As the clock starts to tick towards the actual event, Sonny has to decide what’s best that will impact the lives of many.
Directed by Ivan Reitman, “Draft Day” certainly holds your attention. Having the NFL sign off and give the film so latitude to promote its brand comes in handy. Costner is good at playing the everyday man who’s conscience is at the center of attention. Unlike “Moneyball,” the film is not all about the technical aspects of the game. It shows the humanity between players and coaches, a son and his mother, and a couple. What also works are the performances from the supporting cast that includes Denis Leary as the coach, Patrick St. Espirit as another GM, and Tom Welling as the current QB of the Brown. The film is well written so that fans of the sport can appreciate it and for a film audience to be intrigued and entertained.
