Cool News
A Shy Test Screening Review of LEATHERHEADS with George Clooney!
SPOILER ALERT !!
Hey folks, Harry here... A Shy reviewer sent this mostly glowing review that was disappointed that the film didn't live up to its beginning. First off - this is an early screening, George's film isn't due out till December 7th - which means that the film that Shy saw was - well a bit rough. In the world of comedies, the testing process often benefits them greatly - as this is where they hone the timing, realize how the score needs to lend a hand and what beats to abandon. From the sound of the review, George is well on his way - with plenty of time to hopefully make the right decisions to turn it into a game-saving hail mary. Here's the Shy one...
Harry:
Blah blah Edgewater, NJ blah blah first test screening blah blah "Leatherheads" with George Clooney and Renee Zellwegger.
"Leatherheads" takes place in the 1920s, when professional football seems to have one foot in the
grave and another on a banana peel. Clooney (who also directs) plays a player/coach who recruits a WWI war hero/All-American boy type (John Krasinski, The Office)to play on the team to hopefully revive their fortunes specifically, and the league's in general. Zellwegger plays a reporter tasked with going undercover to prove that his WWI exploits were greatly exaggerated. A romantic triangle forms, hijinx ensue.
Through the first half hour or so of the film, I was thinking about starting this review by saying that there are two Joel/Ethan Coen films being released this year- "No Country for Old Men" and
"Leatherheads". As a big Coen fan, I consider this to be high praise. Certain scenes recall "O Brother Where Art Thou" (a few cast members from this film are recognizable, including Stephen Root) and "The Hudsucker Proxy". However, while Clooney has definitely been influenced by his work with the Coens, the script, while funny in many parts, sputters just as often and just loudly enough to be, in my opinion, unable to consistently deliver on the promise of that first act. Characters as such as other members of the team, characters that the Coens would have had stand out and given their own moment or two in the sun, are indistinguishable here from one another, blending into the crowd like just another goldfish in a tank filled with a hundred of them.
On my way home from the screening and thinking about what I was going to write, I pondered the questions, "Do the people an artist chooses to be influenced by and ultimately decide to emulate set a standard that may be too high for that artist to be held to? And if so, is that fair?" "Leatherheads" is good, very good in spots, and there is an audience out there who will appreciate it, but for people like us, who visit AICN and take the time to say what we like and argue our favorite film's merits, there's a strong possibility that they'll watch this and think about what it could have been with a more consistent script. Ultimately, in my opinion, "Leatherheads" is the film equivalent of a really, really good tribute band.
That being said, this film has the potential to be this holiday season's big date movie, as it combines
romance for the ladies and football for the guys. Clooney swings for the fences, and ends up with a long fly that one-hops the wall. I hope his efforts are rewarded by people not as picky as I was.
No names, please, I'm Shy.
-
+ Expand All
-
Ill check it out George.
-
Nice ending.
-
Very few of his films haven't been at the least entertaining (with one obvious exception). This looks worth a rental.
-
After seeing his performance on the big screen in "From Dusk Til Dawn" I thought to myself, "Hey, maybe this guy isn't such a major chode after all." He's been pretty consistent talent-wise since then in the many roles, both acting and directing (some obviously better than others). I'll give this a shot. Even a Tribute Coen Bros Movie is ten times better than most of the dreck hitting the screen recently anyways...
-
I had a chance to read the screenplay and it's actually very well written. Obviously, some of the humor may have been lost during the transition to the screen, but the screenplay itself is consistently funny and quite good. The Coen brothers are a apt comparison to make (especially Barton Fink, Raising Arizona, and the aforementioned O Brother Where Art Thou?). I'm optimistic about this one.
-
this is a football movie.
-
the next actor-president to be a liberal and intelligent...
-
...it always sounds like they're coming out of the closet. "No names please, I'm gay." Just pick a pseudonym.
-
There are some gems left over, but the infiltration from the mainstream is quite transparent and any film, no matter its content, has at least some geniuses who claim its better than sex (Halloween and Transformers please step forward. This old gray mare aint what she used to be.
-
when it was gonna be Favreau's follow up to Swingers. Lean Mikey could've played some ball. Sauve Georgie could've played with some.
-
The Bat-nipples DQ him right away. I don't want to have a president who has worn simulated nipples. As for 'actor president', aren't they all? Or is 'pretender' different than 'actor'?
-
I gar-RON-tee.
-
The film takes place in 1925, which was well before the Great Depression.
That said, I want to see this. When does the trailer come out? -
include up to several years prior to that. Also, are we sure its 1925 to be exact?
Anyhoo - all these reviews quite like the film so I personally am excited to see it. -
1925 seems to be YOUR take on the date. Both reviews simply said 20's or depression-era.
Even IMDB and the Universal site merely mention 20's...so get off your high horse. -
The Depression Era is the 30s, and STARTED with the crash in October of 1929. The movie is definitely set in the mid 20's. Did the bear market of 2000-2002 start in 1996?
Readers Talkback
User Login
Top Talkbacks
- Whitney Houston 1963 - 2012 -- 325 total posts 322 posts
- New JUDGE DREDD post production footage pops up -- 106 total posts 106 posts
- HANNA's Saoirse Ronan to boss around seven little people -- 63 total posts 60 posts
- Does ‘SNL’ Rhyme With ‘Deschanel’?? Learn Which SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE Vet Hosts After Sexy Zooey!! -- 74 total posts 58 posts
- There's a STAR TREK video game that is going to lead into JJ's STAR TREK 2 apparently... -- 159 total posts 51 posts
- If the Behind the Scenes Pics of the Day drops her pen, pick it up, but don’t look at her legs or else it will be on your record. -- 47 total posts 41 posts
- AVENGERS enemy revealed as pink boardgame pieces... You might suffer some form of elation... SPOILERS!!! -- 161 total posts 34 posts
- To Commemorate The 3D Release Of STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE, George Lucas Wants You To Know...Greedo Shoots First!! -- 488 total posts 33 posts
- Friday Brings SWEEPS DAY NINE!! Gab Here About Tonight’s FRINGE!! Plus Einstein on TIM, Wiig On PORTLANDIA, MAHER, CLONE, GIFTED, GRIMM, SPARTACUS, SUPERNATURAL, GOLD RUSH And More!! -- 121 total posts 23 posts
- Here's The Red Band Trailer For Drafthouse Films' THE FP! -- 70 total posts 20 posts