Nobody flocking to Draft Day and that’s a shame

Paul Peterson

So here’s the thing: Before we go any further I have to declare a conflict of interest. I may not be the right guy to review Draft Day, the latest sports movie from Kevin Costner.
I love football. I don’t just love it but I’m in love with it. I listen to people you’ve never heard of. I would follow them on twitter if I wasn’t really good at being an old guy. I listen to the draft when it’s broadcast on ESPN. Ya I know. We’re still cooler than Trekkies.
But I digress.
Draft Day is exactly that.
It’s all about the work and strategy and drama that goes into picking players for the NFL. It’s huge business. If you’re not a fan you probably have no idea just how comprehensive and massive the business of football is.
They televise the draft and it gets bigger ratings than most network sitcoms. A bunch of old guys sitting around talking and then once every 15 minutes some dude walks up to a mike and reads a name of the next instant millionaire. Over and over. And over.

So for starters, I loved this film. It has a great cast. They’re very authentic. Lots of sports stars playing themselves.

Mel Kiper has the most perfect hair in sports broadcasting and he’s also the gold standard in draft expertise.
Chris Berman is around as his usual jocular self and a cast of 10’s that help, but this movie is all about Costner
He really is terrible in just about everything else.
He just played a killer elite kind of agent and the only the only thing dangerous about him was if you slipped and fell into the credibility gap.
But here he’s Sonny Weaver, General Manager of the Cleveland Browns.
I’m watching this film from the point of view of someone who isn’t a fan and I think it plays well.
It’s dramatic. Impactful. All those things that a movie should be.

I’m not telling you that this will change your life, but then are movies supposed to do that. I’m pretty sure not.
It’s a stretch. Thankfully, we come in under the two hour mark. Even I might be shifting nervously in the chair.
It’s in the tradition of Moneyball which was a film that found a crossover audience. This is more lost in the sport than Pitt’s film, but it’s still very watchable.
Audiences have loved the movie but haven’t exactly flocked to it. I think that’s a shame. I can watch cooking shows like Letters To Juliet. Oh sure, I had to watch The Dirty Dozen after to clear my palette, but I can do it.
Draft Day is a good watch, even if it’s as disposable as a round 6 receiver. I know no one gets the reference. Hey, I amuse myself.
As always, other opinions are welcome, but wrong. That’s it for this week . The cheque’s in the mail and I’m outta here. Paul