Draft Day

American football is all Greek to me (like almost every sport, really) and as an uninitiated viewer, this film utterly failed to explain what the rules of the game are exactly (meaning the draft), what’s at stake, what would success mean, etc. And it also feels at least a bit weird that the end presents the performance of Costner’s character as the victory of a good tactician who kept a cool head, when, in reality, he basically had a stroke of luck and throughout the film everything was falling apart for him. The performances and the craftsmanship are alright, but, due to the reasons enumerated above, I wasn’t able to get into the film, not even a bit. (09/25/2014)

A film that stems from the backstage of traditions and high sports politics, but it lacks the rawness and the brutal matches of Any Given Sunday, or the poetry and wide scope of Moneyball. Paradoxically, however, Draft Day is more enjoyable than the latter film thanks to Ivan Reitman’s brisk direction by, the great performances by the actors, and the superb performances of Kevin Costner, Jennifer Garner, and Frank Langella. Those lively, sharp dialogues from the perfect script, which reminded me at times the work of Christopher Nolan, make everything feel as it should be. (10/06/2014)

Even though American football absolutely doesn't interest me and I may not even know a single team, this is a good drama that caught my attention, mainly thanks to Kevin Costner's excellent performance. Ivan Reitman uses interesting tools, especially two images in one, but this stands on the actors who immersed themselves in their roles and do it well. It beautifully shows what kind of business it is and how easily it can destroy lives. (08/07/2014)