"Leatherheads" Review

Grade: B

In 1925, college level football represented the pinnacle of fame a young athlete could ever want. Professional football was pure anarchy, with very few rules and even fewer fans.

In the George Clooney directed football comedy Leatherheads, the face of college football was Princeton star Carter "The Bullet" Rutherford (John Krasinski) - a speedy game breaker who took time out of his studies to serve in the Great War. While serving Rutherford became a war hero and awarded the Medal of Honor.

In the professional ranks, however, the face of the game was Jimmy "Dodge" Connolly. A man well past his prime, Connolly lived for the love of the game - albeit a dirty game - and gave the small fan base a reason for watching the rag-tag teams fumble around the field, making up rules on the spot. With pro football apparently on its deathbed, Connolly bargains with a Chicago hotel owner to invest in the Duluth Bulldogs and help bring the Bullet to the professional ranks by playing for the team and to become the face of the suddenly changing game.

Upon his arrival to pro football, Rutherford brings many new aspects to the game: new plays, new rules, and team curfews - much to the dismay of Dodge, who had "never played a clean game."

Leatherheads is not the comedy most would assume it to be as presented by the advertising campaign for the picture. Although there are many scenes with good laughs, the movie focuses primarily on the controversy of Rutherford's alleged heroism in France.

There are a lot of political undertones that have come to be expected from Clooney since his 2005 directoral debut; Good Night, and Good Luck. These undertones manage to work with simple camera work, amazing set and costume designs, and a stellar cast that includes Oscar winner- Renee Zellweger, Stephen Root and Wayne Duvall.

The sets, dialogue, music (composed by Randy Newman), and even body language takes you back to a believable Roaring 20s setting. The film features several montages accompanied only by Newman's score, whose jazzy musical styling flourishes in this period piece.

The chemistry between the two Oscar winners is undeniably electric. With their quick banter and the characters charisma Clooney and Zellweger pull off the romantic tension effortlessly.

Leatherheads is an enjoyable movie with a smooth storyline that does not complicate the continuity of the picture. With it's well above-average acting performances by all cast members Clooney's newest feature is well worth catching a weekend matenee.