Review of Draft Day (2014) by Tom S — 02 Jun 2014

Swanner: The film Draft Day takes place in Cleveland where the GM of the Cleveland Browns is preparing for football's draft day. When given the chance to acquire the number one pick of the draft things actually get harder for Sunny Weaver Jr. (Kevin Costner) on a day where too much is happening already. Ali (Jennifer Garner), his long term "secret" girlfriend, announces she's pregnant while Head Coach Denis Leary threatens to jump ship. He's not have a great day.

Judd: Draft Day is directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Scott Rothman and Rajiv Joseph; this is Rothman's first writing credit and Joseph has written for HBO's Nurse Jackie. Reitman keeps the story moving along, but the amount of subplots overwhelms the story at hand - which is the gamble Weaver has to make to get the pick he wants, and the fate of the Browns franchise. A pregnant girlfriend, a grieving mother, a recently deceased father who coached the team and was also fired by his son, the tarnished Golden Boy, the player who needs is 'big break', AND Denis Leary being a prick - it was everything plus the kitchen sink, and it was too much.

Swanner: I will agree there were a lot of subplots but I was still focused on the prize, the draft. Who will he pick and why? I was reading a write up of this and they called it a drama. Granted, there are some dramatic moments in the film but this is more of a comedy, maybe even a romantic comedy, which reminds me of an earlier Reitman film Legal Eagles. I think it's in Reitman's bones, he sees the world differently and everything has a comic spin. I did want to mention that Costner still can't show emotion. At one point in the film he says he's pissed...his pissed looked a lot like his happy, sad and wow I just got the overall number one draft pick. Even with that they had me right from the start. It's a sports movie lite.

Judd: I was thinking the movie was more like Moneyball lite, but instead of boring stats and the problems of the spoiled rich, Draft Day was actually engaging - aside from being overstuffed. I really enjoyed the editing; much of the movie's wheeling and dealing was done over the phone, so there was a lot of split screen action that was done in a very creative, almost retro way, which was very fun to watch.

Swanner: If this was made in the 60's it would have started Rock Hudson and Doris Day. Granted Draft Day isn't that lite but it's an easy watch. The film has lots of cameos, certainly more than I recognized and it comes to theaters right before the actual draft. Believe me the real Draft is never this much fun or exciting. I think the film will satisfy both sides of the aisle with its sweet sentimental side for the girls and the football talk (which I barely understood) for the guys. Draft Day is a (insert football term here).

Judd: I would have appreciated more humor and less plot. Draft Day was very ambitious with the amount of story it covered and I would have preferred it pared down a bit. It would have given the other characters, and me, a little room to breathe.

Swanner: *** 1/2.

Judd: ** 1/2.