Concussion is not exactly your typical Christmas day movie fare. Christmas day is usually reserved for films that people go to that are typically more uplifting or family-friendly. Past Christmases have given us Into the Woods, Unbroken, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Les Miserables, Little Fockers, Night at the Museum, Sherlock Holmes, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. These are films that take you from your Christmas splendor and spit you into a world of magic and fun. Concussion does none of these things. It will take your Christmas day and put you into the real world and the reality of how messed up things you actually love (like the NFL) really are. It is a very good movie, and one that people should see... but maybe not one to pick for Christmas day (though I know there aren't very many good choices this year).
If there's anyone who has ever deserved a movie made about their life it's Dr. Bennett Omalu (Will Smith), a pathologist from Pittsburgh who discovers that repetitive brain trauma in football players can and will lead to long-term effects, including death. After examining several ex-football players who have died or killed themselves at a young age, but appeared healthy, he found that each helmet-to-helmet contact or on-field concussion chokes the brain of the player and can lead to Alzheimers, depression, and death. Of course, being an immigrant from Nigeria and effectively proving that the NFL has hidden its findings, he's dismissed by everyone and even put under harsh scrutiny by fellow doctors and the league itself. His life crumbles around him, and being someone who isn't a football fan himself with the understanding of the impact the game has on American life, he's unable to understand why his life is being ruined when all he's trying to do is help.
There is a great story within the film and a great actor leading the way, but it does seem to fall a little bit into the standard dramatic biopic film structure. While we know exactly how everything is going to play out because we're familiar with the structure, I don't believe it hinders the film greatly. If it does, then Will Smith's performance disguises it with ease. Smith shows us once again that he is one of the Hollywood greats who should be in everything. It's a little bit frustrating that he's only choosing super serious, I-have-to-cry-in-every-scene roles, when we know he can have a lot of fun in movies, but it doesn't take away from the fact that Smith is a stellar actor. He brings a certain quiet charm to Omalu who does his best to hide his hurt from the world, but won't back down on his mission no matter the hardship he has to endure if it means saving lives. He's also very funny when he wants to be, but the film doesn't allow much humor to his character as there isn't a whole hell of a lot going on that's intended to be happy.
And while it is a very serious drama, it is also a very uplifting movie. Watching Omalu's growth and goodwill is inspiring. He's also surrounded by a fantastic cast including Dr. Wecht, played brilliantly by the always watchable Albert Brooks. There's the doctor that helps aid Omalu in his work and has a personal connection with the league, Dr. Bailes, played very quietly, but superbly, by Alec Baldwin. And then there's still semi-newcomer Gugu Mbatha-Raw who plays another Nigerian immigrant and ends up becoming Omalu's love interest. Finally, there's Luke Wilson who very briefly, in just a few scenes, plays a younger Roger Goodell and reminds us what an actual, literal piece of shit Goodell is.
While it isn't much of a Christmas movie, Concussion is an important movie. As an avid listener of sports radio and television, I've heard rumblings of anchors and sportscasters speculating on whether or not this film will come with it football fan/viewer repercussions. Will the league lose money because the truth is being spread through film with one of the most likable actors in Hollywood? My guess is yes, but not enough to make an impact. People will quietly take a second to realize just how brutal, and even pointless, this game is... but good ole Americans like us are still not very likely to turn off the game if it's become our ritual in life. I'm not a big football fan myself, however, had the film been about baseball, I know for a fact it wouldn't deter me from watching baseball any further or going to games and spending money on it. But, beyond the great story, the stellar acting, and the miracle of the actual scientific findings... this movie will have an impact on those that watch it.
B
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