Pro Screwball

There are many things George Clooney's "Leatherheads" isn't, however I was more than satisfied with what it is, a nice old fashioned comedy with more than a few surprises. It's been well noted by Clooney himself that he prepared filming this movie by viewing the classic screwball comedies of Preston Sturges, Howard Hawks, and (I suspect) Frank Capra to name a few. Even though when it comes to fast paced comedy, Clooney is no Sturges, Hawks, or Capra, he's perfectly willing to find his own pace and I think it suits this film just fine.

The film is set in 1925, Clooney plays Jimmy "Dodge" Connelly, the aging captain of a group of rag tag pro football players who seem to be playing a go nowhere sport. After the team goes broke, Jimmy sees the only way to keep football and his team alive is to legitimize football. Enter Carter Rutherford ("The Office's" John Krasinski) as America's golden boy, who not only plays college football but is being touted all over the country as a WWI hero who got a German platoon to surrender. With Rutherford on board, Jimmy knows his franchise will survive. However things take a turn after a hot shot girl reporter named Lexie Littleton (Love that name) played by Renee Zellweger, snoops to blow the lid off of Rutherford's war hero story to turn him in to a fraud. Predictably sparks fly between old Jimmy and Lex, but also between her and Carter, all three of these characters are charismatic and likable which keeps this film afloat through some of the slow spots.

Clooney seems to find the right tone and era to tell his story, which deals with a recurring theme of playing by your own rules even if it means making up new ones. I guess that is what I found so fascinating about this story, in the end each character seems to make up their own rules, or own road to live by, and I found that to be a rather profound message to be brought up in a comedy.

Clooney seems at home in almost anything he does lately whether it's a hard message drama like "Michael Clayton" or a buddy heist flick like the "Ocean's" movies, but for my money I like him in his comedies whether it's with his Coen Brothers pics or in this one. I think Jimmy is one of his most endearing characters and it seems to fit Clooney perfectly, not only is he funny in it, but he also gives a sense of pathos to him as well. There is a nice little bit of a scene near the end with Jimmy and Maxi, where she asks him "aren't you worried about your reputation?" Jimmy's answer is almost what I would think Clooney himself would say in the same smart allecky tone it is delivered too.

This all being said I couldn't say that "Letherheads" is a perfect movie, the weakest point comes from the script which seems to try too hard to give that snap, crackle, and pop dialogue we know and love from those classic films of the 30s. Clooney's pacing was right when it came to the more poignant moments, but I wished he picked it up when it came to the high comedy.

However that all being said, I think Clooney has a gift for comedy, his kind of sense of humour is definitely something I share, he fills his scenes with colorful situations and background sight gags that make you pay attention. And it's also nice he takes time to make us care for these characters by letting us get to know them, in the midst of all the zaniness.

This is the third film Clooney directed and completely unlike his last one "Good Night and Good Luck", which may be why this is receiving a cool reception by most critics. But Clooney's comedy has what I think many modern comedies are missing: class and character.

3.5 stars out of 4