Concussion Movie Review

Concussion (2015)

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Written by: Peter Landesman, Jeanne Marie Laskas (based on the GQ article "Game Brain" by)
Directed by: Peter Landesman
Starring: Will Smith, Alec Baldwin, Albert Brooks, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, David Morse, Mike O'Malley, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Paul Reiser, Luke Wilson
Rated: PG-13
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Plot
In Pittsburgh, accomplished pathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu uncovers the truth about brain damage in football players who suffer repeated concussions in the course of normal play.

Verdict
Will Smith delivers a phenomenal performance in this underdog story based on actual events. Because of Smith you like the protagonist instantly, and Smith delivers a great performance. While the movie includes a lot of common tropes, that's not a problem when they all come together. This is one man against the NFL. The fact it's a true story lends a bit more interest. The NFL knew players were in danger and ignored the facts for a few extra dollars.
Watch it.

Review
This is movie I wanted to see at the time, but it fell through the cracks. I'm glad I finally watched it.

This opens with an NFL hall of fame speech that provides context for what it's like to be an NFL player, covering the trials and tribulations of football. While I wasn't sure who the speaker was, that's a nice introduction. The character is Mike Webster who does play a role in the movie.

Will Smith plays Dr. Bennett Omalu. From the jump you like the character and that's due to Smith. Smith doesn't just rely on his natural charisma. He presents a real earnestness. It's a great performance. Omalu has very impressive credentials. He's presented as a great guy, almost too good. This leans hard on the good guy against the big evil machine that is the NFL. The movie dramatizes both sides.
The only weird thing about Omalu is that he's a pathologist and sees the dead as his patients. That and he doesn't like football in Pittsburgh. I have to wonder if part of the reason Omalu wasn't taken seriously is that he's form a different country and has an accent. Many times people assume if you sound different you know less. The movie doesn't explore that idea.

Mike Webster is in rough shape and if you know anything about this story, you know it's neurological. Omalu wants to know how Webster died and everyone is against him. Webster is a native son, he's a famous. He's told he can't do an autopsy. Omalu doesn't accept Webster just died and he pushes through adversity. This movie features a lot of tropes, but that's not a bad thing when the movie does it right and it works. I wanted to see Omalu succeed. He needs the adversity for the success in the movie to feel justified. He even begins watching football as research.

Omalu publishes his work and the NFL attempts to discredit him. The NFL is after all a billion dollar business. Fans call him with death threats. It's crazy. Football players are at risk and fans aren't concerned about the players, only their entertainment.
The movie doesn't go easy on the NFL, though according to wikipedia it seems the movie was edited to remove NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and some of the criticism against the NFL.

Eventually the NFL settled with the players on the condition the NFL wouldn't have to disclose what it knew or when it discovered the data. That's telling. The NFL knew players were at risk and concealed the evidence. It's money over human lives. While the movie creates the story of a hero, what it doesn't say about the NFL is the real story.