Leatherheads
Lissa Coffey
Grade: B+
| Leatherheads stars George Clooney, Renee Zellweger and John Krasinski. The name comes from the leather helmets that football players used to wear back in the day before the NFL, when the sport was just getting started. These are the days when alcohol was illegal and working women were rare. Renee is a smart and sassy reporter ala Barbara Stanwyk to George’s charming and clever con man/football star. George wants pro football to enjoy the same success that college football has, so he recruits a college star, the Office’s John Krasinski, to help get ticket sales up. It works, and maybe too well. George and Renee have a cute banter going on, a throw-back to those snappy “His Girl Friday” type of movies from the ’40s.
Leatherheads works best when it is in romantic comedy mode. When it gets into slapstick, it feels silly. Great date movie. Really fun to watch. |