Dir.
George Clooney, US, 2008, 114 minutes
Cast: George Clooney, Renee Zellweger, John Krasinski, Jonathan
Pryce
Review by Michelle Moore
The romantic comedy
Leatherheads is an original take on the RomCom genre. It’s
a story that evolves around the emerging American pro-football
league in 1925. Now for all the ladies, and for different
reasons the gentlemen, out there, this may sound like a
footie film with men running back and forth on a pitch
in shorts. And though that would appeal to both genders,
that is not the central plot.
It is set in 1925, but it actually focuses more on the foundations
of the game rather than the actual playing of it. With this
as a background the romance and situations do produce some
hilarious moments.
From start to finish this film has a unique sense of the
scene. The central characters are introduced in the very
first scenes with the film following their path as we see
their relationships develop, the game does too on a parallel
course.
A clever illustration in the film that history is not always
as it seems, there is a flashback sequence to show why Carter
Rutherford (Krasinski) is regarded as a war hero. His real
story when shown is an example of how the facts that have
been presented are not always the true facts.
The end credits show the future in stills, while the music
played is specific to the film’s 20s set era. In
fact, the credits are set in a font that looks like those
iconic images from the TV show Cheers only much older.
The film’s technical crew also lovingly creates a
look reminiscent of that decade including the transport,
costumes and hairstyles.
The characters are interesting and
evoke the rebellious nature of the 1920s. Journalist Lexie
Littleton (Zellweger) with her dynamic, strong and powerful
attitude, is refreshing to see from a woman of this era.
Carter with his golden-boy dashing good looks seems the
type to get, or get away with, anything he wants – an early example of celebrity power.
Dodge (Clooney) has a cocky, overconfident personality and
charming sarcasm. The performances of the actors as the lead
characters are key to the film’s success.
Clooney probably has the toughest
role in the film. He not only has to play someone who likes
Johnny "Blood" McNally,
a player who spent a year playing for the Duluth Eskimo's
(Duluth is the team focused upon in the film) but he also
directs the film. His character, Dodge, is a footballer determined
to guide his team from bar brawls to packed stadiums, there
seems no one better for the job, and similar to Dodge, Clooney,
the director, has an amazing eye for detail. There is a lot
of creativity and research showing in every aspect of the
film which make a very old story work on the big screen today.
And not only work, but be accepted amongst the wave of modern
horror movies or commercial comedies.
The romantic plot centres on when two team players take
their battle off the field to compete for the affections
of one woman. Of course, a lady of this time period was not
known to concentrate on her career approach as Lexie is within
this film. It is the flirting, and the way each man wrestles
(literally) for the attention of the career woman, that gives
the film a warm glow about it.
Humour is always close to the fore,
but the ways in which it is approached is what makes the
film so enjoyable. They include Clooney’s sly looks,
a drunken Krasinski and lots more funny, old-fashioned
tummy-tickling scenes. Oscar winners Clooney and Zellweger
have teamed up for a sure fire hit.
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