WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
Impact. Collision. One object striking another with tangible, measurable, and potentially damaging force. Most would not look to be placed in any situation involving this type of trauma one’s person, much less to effectively seek it out based on a career choice in a sport that almost daily involves such encounters. Yet, in the National Football League, this is exactly what occurs and results can be devastating. In 2002, Pittsburgh Steelers former center Mike Webster (David Morse) dies suddenly. When others are left baffled, Allegheny County forensic pathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu (Will Smith), known begrudgingly in the office for having a rather unorthodox methodology during autopsies, begins digging deeper to find out the cause, unexpectedly discovering severe brain damage Webster incurred from so many repeated blows to the head.
Not willing to simply let it go, and much to the hesitations of his immediate bosses Daniel Sullivan (Mike O’Malley) and Dr. Cyril Wecht (Albert Brooks), Omalu pushes to have the newly revealed illness, labeled CTE, made know to the league and the public. But, wanting and doing become increasingly difficult, even with the assistance of former Steelers’ team doctor Dr. Julian Bailes (Alec Baldwin) and a reluctant League physician, Dr. Joseph Maroon (Arliss Howard), as the NFL executives push back hard, not wanting their product tainted by supposedly unfounded science. With the encouragement of his wife, Prima (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), Omalu risks all their reputations and careers to find evidence and prove his findings. But, how do you successfully fight an institution that “owns a day of the week”?
Next, my Mind:
Watching stories about large organizations of any sort getting secrets revealed and then adamantly trying to deny or cover up their own oversights and misdeeds is never an easy thing, and this potent, smoothly-paced, well-acted drama certainly does an amazing job at keeping the trend alive. Writer/director Peter Landesman takes the reins and presents this real life tale, where NFL heads were completely persistent about Omalu not uncovering facts and information actually already known about for years, yet undisclosed or addressed, thanks to the League’s money-making being top priority, no matter the hidden consequences former players suffered, which then became all to real. And these reservations existed among many of the physicians as well, all except Omalu, who felt compelled to stay the course no matter what the cost, for the sake of the players.
Will Smith is simply fantastic as Nigerian-born Omalu, complete with accent, a will to do the right thing for the sake of the game, the safety of its participants, and the welfare of its future, all strongly enacted with Smith’s genuineness and sincere delivery in playing the character. Strong supporting turns by Morse, Baldwin, Brooks, and Mbatha-Raw bring the additional human elements into the story, as victim, tentative but ultimately sturdy supporters, and the voice of firm but quiet reason in Omalu’s life during this tumultuous period. Mix in the intimidation attempts the League made that greatly impacted Omalu and Prima’s life, and we see the story of a true American hero not of America who chose to expose one of its most treasured organizations and pastimes to save lives and the conscious, perhaps, of the sport it’s players engage in.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
