REVIEW: Concussion fails to make an impact on the controversial subject surrounding football.
By Franklin Racobs, Staff Writer
Written and directed by Peter Landesman, Concussion is based on the true story of Dr. Bennet Omalu, a forensic pathologist from Nigeria who discovers the brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) when doing an autopsy of former National Football League (NFL) center Mike Webster. After his discovery, Omalu, who is played by Will Smith in the movie, embarks on a journey to raise awareness about the disease that has similar effects to Alzheimer’s and can also lead to suicide.
Filmmakers in general should not play it safe and follow the standard Hollywood formula when making a biopic drama. This is the only true flaw found in Concussion, and sadly it is the only flaw needed to keep this film from being groundbreaking and memorable. When it comes to sports movies, the public is used to seeing inspirational films where the main conflict is how one team will beat the other. Therefore, a sports drama about the harsh realities of America’s number one sport seemed like something new that could shake things up.
Those familiar with Peter Landesman’s former career may be surprised to hear that this film only scratches the surface around the controversy of concussions in the NFL. Peter Landesman, who worked as an investigative journalist in the early 2000’s, has an impressive resume when it comes to his journalistic career. He wrote cover stories for magazines as prestigious as the Atlantic Monthly, including articles on important topics such as sex trafficking.
Landesman allowed Hollywood to get the best of his film, meaning he focused too much on Will Smith’s portrayal of Dr. Omalu instead of diving deeper into the fact that the NFL supposedly knew about the serious head trauma its players were suffering. This film simply seems to tell the story of a flawless outsider hero who presses on even though his voice is drowned out by American businessmen. Weaving the concepts of Dr. Omalu’s discovery and quest to get the word out about the controversy and supposed NFL cover-up could have given the film more compelling characters and a much more memorable story.
Will Smith’s performance as Dr. Omalu is the highlight of the film. It serves as a reminder of the kind of acting talent he possesses. This role also reminds viewers of the range he brings to his roles, like his Oscar-nominated performances in Ali (2001) and The Pursuit of Happyness (2006).
While Concussion is a well-acted film, it proves that great dramas can’t play it safe in order to leave a mark and be remembered as a great film.