If anyone is a die hard NFL fan like me and follows the game and the sports world and the news, you know that over the years the league has been facing the problem of how to deal with player concussions and how to protect them better, and what to do when the players retire. The film "Concussion" deals with that on going drama just fine as it follows the research and work of one real life pathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu(played in a tough strong performance manner from Will Smith). Set in Pittsburgh after the deaths of several star former Steeler players most notable that being hall of fame center Mike Webster(in a gritty performance from David Morse)who due to many hits to the head developed all kinds of problems like hearing voices, and loss of reality as he even had to live away from his family taking shelter in his own truck before falling to suicide by a head gunshot wound. The film is somewhat sad and emotional as you see the broken down players and hear the stories of their problems and passing. Dr. Omalu is one pathologist who's eager and willing to find out more and why and what drove these former players to young deaths by suicide, so thru his work he finds brain damage in these former players who suffered concussions and all would develop a new disease CTE. At first his medical news is doubted by others doctor's(played well by Alec Baldwin and Albert Brooks)yet they are slowly broken in to believe yet the challenge to face the NFL with the news is the toughest, as the film states you are going to war with a corporation that owns a day of the week even over the church and of course that's Sunday as the NFL has risen to sports entertainment that's at the top of the mountain. Finally Dr. Omalu's voice and discovery does get the league's attention and many former players and current ones take the issue to capital hill and congress. Overall "Concussion" is one film that's an emotional drama of discovery and it searches for the truth wanting answers to a new NFL problem that has expanded.
172 Reviews
You can't handle the truth
kosmasp20 October 2016
The movie got infamous and weirdly enough not so much for what it's about (which would make sense if you consider it kind of destroys the myth surrounding one of the most entertaining sports event Americans love), but for not getting an Oscar nomination. And again, not the movie itself or the story, but one of its stars. This will go down in History as the movie Will Smith did not get Oscar nominated for.
Whether my foreword made you conclude on whether you like my "review" or not is up to you. One thing is for sure: Will Smith does deliver in this movie, he even has an accent. So yeah this is quite a few step ups from things like "Focus" (as enjoyable as it was). You do still kind of wonder why no one is mentioning the severe consequences this seems to have on a lot of people. It's like they want to hide what this is about.
Sort of things they did with other sports/entertainment programs too. See wrestling for example. So whatever your take on Will Smith is, the movie is watchable
Whether my foreword made you conclude on whether you like my "review" or not is up to you. One thing is for sure: Will Smith does deliver in this movie, he even has an accent. So yeah this is quite a few step ups from things like "Focus" (as enjoyable as it was). You do still kind of wonder why no one is mentioning the severe consequences this seems to have on a lot of people. It's like they want to hide what this is about.
Sort of things they did with other sports/entertainment programs too. See wrestling for example. So whatever your take on Will Smith is, the movie is watchable
I'm Lucky to be Alive
agallo3325 December 2015
I am a survivor of playing on high school concussions. I finally quit playing by so many positive family influences in my life. I grew up playing Texas football, the "American Dream". I received my final football concussion in 2000 and discontinued playing football. Troy Aikman was the only one anyone talked about at this time regarding concussions and everyone thought he was fine. What they didn't talk about which this movie does a great job is pointing out all the players that died or had violent disruptive behavior due to post conclusion syndrome. I rated this movie a 10 because there will be millions of dollars spent to make the movie go away. It's important for every parent in America to understand what football can do to your kids. Football is a great sport but their can be serious life consequences that can come from it.
Football 2000 years later will be looked at as Roman Gladiators once were.
I loved every minute of my experience with football growing up. But the reality is the overwhelming effects this sport causes to our brains.
It was once said to me that if the brain injury could be seen on the outside of your body it wouldn't even be a question if football would still be a sport. However, it's not and that's why it's unspoken.
I very much support this movie and I am glad that Sony Pictures (only non nfl contract) took the liberty to show people what this sport's health effects can have on young kids and adults.
Hope you enjoy my real-life review. I feel lucky to be alive. Lucky that I was surrounded by people that could think there was more to life then the "American Dream". God Bless
Football 2000 years later will be looked at as Roman Gladiators once were.
I loved every minute of my experience with football growing up. But the reality is the overwhelming effects this sport causes to our brains.
It was once said to me that if the brain injury could be seen on the outside of your body it wouldn't even be a question if football would still be a sport. However, it's not and that's why it's unspoken.
I very much support this movie and I am glad that Sony Pictures (only non nfl contract) took the liberty to show people what this sport's health effects can have on young kids and adults.
Hope you enjoy my real-life review. I feel lucky to be alive. Lucky that I was surrounded by people that could think there was more to life then the "American Dream". God Bless
Outstanding Performance by Will Smith as Dr. Bennet Omalu
Searsino27 December 2015
The film Concussion describes the incredible journey by Nigerian Dr. Bennet Omalu (wonderfully played by Will Smith) who uncovered a shocking revelation about the damaging effects football collisions have on its players. More specifically, players whom often went misdiagnosed (e.g. Alzheimer's disease). Dr. Omalu was the first to bring the issue of head-to-head collisions to light, addressing it as a very real problem in need of being fixed by the influential football organizations.
This story of one man's remarkable strength and fortitude, sticking to what was right ultimately pushed the Nigerian doctor never to give up in the face of relentless attempts by the NFL to stifle such findings. What Dr. Omalu was able to do will undoubtedly go down in history books, to be read by training clinicians, aspiring lawyers, and many other professionals. A look deep into ethics, and how the "good guy" can also be the one to come out on top.
If there was ever debate over Smith's talent, it surely could be disregarded after this performance. Many an actor/actress have accepted the daunting task of a role requiring the use of a foreign accent and very, VERY few can do so successfully. Will Smith will undoubtedly turn heads as this film continues to roll out across the nation.
It is only a shame that the release of the film coincides with that of renowned director Quentin Tarantino's "The Hateful 8" which will likely make this particular motion picture pass by unnoticed for many a mainstream viewer.
The lead by Will Smith alone carries Concussion. Don't miss an opportunity to watch something beautiful on screen: an extremely talented actor achieving something which is beyond impressive. To encapsulate a Nigerian immigrant in such a way that comes across as so raw and valid... that is what made this film the powerhouse that it is.
----- 8/10 STARS -------- Review by Searsino -----
This story of one man's remarkable strength and fortitude, sticking to what was right ultimately pushed the Nigerian doctor never to give up in the face of relentless attempts by the NFL to stifle such findings. What Dr. Omalu was able to do will undoubtedly go down in history books, to be read by training clinicians, aspiring lawyers, and many other professionals. A look deep into ethics, and how the "good guy" can also be the one to come out on top.
If there was ever debate over Smith's talent, it surely could be disregarded after this performance. Many an actor/actress have accepted the daunting task of a role requiring the use of a foreign accent and very, VERY few can do so successfully. Will Smith will undoubtedly turn heads as this film continues to roll out across the nation.
It is only a shame that the release of the film coincides with that of renowned director Quentin Tarantino's "The Hateful 8" which will likely make this particular motion picture pass by unnoticed for many a mainstream viewer.
The lead by Will Smith alone carries Concussion. Don't miss an opportunity to watch something beautiful on screen: an extremely talented actor achieving something which is beyond impressive. To encapsulate a Nigerian immigrant in such a way that comes across as so raw and valid... that is what made this film the powerhouse that it is.
----- 8/10 STARS -------- Review by Searsino -----
I'm not a Smith fan or a football fan but this is a must see
dv-1204828 December 2015
The acting was Oscar worthy, the science behind the discovery was fascinating, and the fact that it's based on a true story is incredible. It's proof that one person can make a difference. What is more impressive is after watching the film I discovered that this movie was a watered-down version of the original script. Even though Sony tried to avoid legal issues with the NFL by softening the script, I still found it spellbinding.
I will say that I think it's ironic Sony made a movie about a man taking a stand against the NFL yet Sony pictures, with all their resources, are too afraid to do the same.
I will say that I think it's ironic Sony made a movie about a man taking a stand against the NFL yet Sony pictures, with all their resources, are too afraid to do the same.
Will Smith at his best
Ramascreen26 December 2015
#Concussion has made me see what athletes go through from a different angle and I'm saying that as a man who didn't grow up a fan of American football. CONCUSSION is a compelling David Vs. Goliath story, it's a true great American story, and it's Will Smith's best performance since 2006's "The Pursuit Of Happiness" Written and directed by Peter Landesman, based on the GQ article "Game Brain," you've all seen the trailer for CONCUSSION which has Will Smith playing real life accomplished forensic neuropathologist, Dr. Bennet Omalu, who discovered a disease called Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) which a progressive degenerative disease found in people with a history of repetitive brain trauma, and it's commonly found nowadays in pro-football player because they get repeated bows to the head every time they play, this is a heavy contact sport, as we all know.
So the film is about this immigrant doctor with high ethical standards and he truly loves America and yet the America he loves seems to be trying to shut him up because he's basically going up against the sport Americans live and breath for and one of the biggest most capitalistic organizations in the country. When you're messing with a giant business because you've discovered a truth about them that they don't like or a truth that might hurt their profit-making, you're bound to get bullied by the giant.
I had my worries at first, I thought Will Smith's attempt on Nigerian accent may distract or it may make him into a caricature instead of an embodiment but fortunately, that's not what happened. Will Smith's performance in this film really burns with convictions, he will have you take his side in a heartbeat. There's a bit of "A Few Good Men" 'tell me the truth you can't handle the truth' sorta moment mixed with Denzel Washington's 'love's gonna bust me out' moment in "Hurricane" so it's clear that over the years, Will has learned from his fellow masters and honed his skills or his artistry to perfection. Somebody told me once that Will is a big fan of the Philadelphia Eagles team, so it's interesting to see him play the role of a man who takes on the NFL.
The film itself is set in a way that makes you feel like you're going on an uphill battle. I think writer/director Peter Landesman approached it in a way that doesn't demonize American football, but sheds a light on the truth about it, just like what the real Dr. Omalu did. It is also a story about immigrants, a fact which sadly a lot of Americans today seem to forget, that we are a nation of immigrants.
CONCUSSION will surely give rise to discussions not just among NFL players and team owners but also among audiences and football fans. But will the discussion only last a dinner table's length and then be forgotten once Sunday game comes around again? I read up after watching the movie and found that the NFL still makes excuses in admitting the impact CTE has on their players. They've done settlements, they've paid millions of dollars to families, they've changed some things about the way the game is played but keep in mind that this is a big money-making business, so when money is at stake, unfortunately human lives get negotiated over.
The way the NFL handles this reminds me of how right wing politicians try to repudiate climate change, by hiring their own scientists, some of whom may not even be experts on the field study, because those politicians have been bought by fossil fuel businesses. So point being, change in America can happen but it does not happen overnight, it's a slow and painful process as long as there's money involved.
So the film is about this immigrant doctor with high ethical standards and he truly loves America and yet the America he loves seems to be trying to shut him up because he's basically going up against the sport Americans live and breath for and one of the biggest most capitalistic organizations in the country. When you're messing with a giant business because you've discovered a truth about them that they don't like or a truth that might hurt their profit-making, you're bound to get bullied by the giant.
I had my worries at first, I thought Will Smith's attempt on Nigerian accent may distract or it may make him into a caricature instead of an embodiment but fortunately, that's not what happened. Will Smith's performance in this film really burns with convictions, he will have you take his side in a heartbeat. There's a bit of "A Few Good Men" 'tell me the truth you can't handle the truth' sorta moment mixed with Denzel Washington's 'love's gonna bust me out' moment in "Hurricane" so it's clear that over the years, Will has learned from his fellow masters and honed his skills or his artistry to perfection. Somebody told me once that Will is a big fan of the Philadelphia Eagles team, so it's interesting to see him play the role of a man who takes on the NFL.
The film itself is set in a way that makes you feel like you're going on an uphill battle. I think writer/director Peter Landesman approached it in a way that doesn't demonize American football, but sheds a light on the truth about it, just like what the real Dr. Omalu did. It is also a story about immigrants, a fact which sadly a lot of Americans today seem to forget, that we are a nation of immigrants.
CONCUSSION will surely give rise to discussions not just among NFL players and team owners but also among audiences and football fans. But will the discussion only last a dinner table's length and then be forgotten once Sunday game comes around again? I read up after watching the movie and found that the NFL still makes excuses in admitting the impact CTE has on their players. They've done settlements, they've paid millions of dollars to families, they've changed some things about the way the game is played but keep in mind that this is a big money-making business, so when money is at stake, unfortunately human lives get negotiated over.
The way the NFL handles this reminds me of how right wing politicians try to repudiate climate change, by hiring their own scientists, some of whom may not even be experts on the field study, because those politicians have been bought by fossil fuel businesses. So point being, change in America can happen but it does not happen overnight, it's a slow and painful process as long as there's money involved.
OMG--I used to play sandlot tackle football= no more!!
JohnDeSando24 December 2015
"Why would a man take his own life at the age of 50?" Dr. Bennet Omalu (Will Smith)
For 28% of pro footballers, head problems not just restricted to dizziness are a result of the pounding every week in the NFL. Dr Bennet Omalu, a forensic pathologist, in Concussion, based on a true story, begins in 2002 the outside-of-the-league autopsies that will eventually expose the CTE impairment and other life-threatening results of the professional battering.
As gently and convincingly played by Will Smith, the doctor eventually gets the NFL and world's attention by scientifically exploring the dead bodies of former players. As in the tobacco wars, the corporation, in this case the league, denies any connection, but that stand is bound to deteriorate as devoted scientists and doctors who know the players are forced to admit the causal relationship.
The film is absorbing when it plays like a medical thriller, perhaps like something Michael Crichton would write in non science fiction. When Concussion tries to integrate the more melodramatic elements of Dr. Omalu's life such as his marriage and the couple's miscarriage, the film becomes mired in tears and melancholy, unfitting for a story worth telling about the professional struggle alone.
Concussion's emphasis on the need for public awareness of the probable danger of tackle football is well presented, even though the NFL seems like a Bond villain's empire. Commissioner Paul Tagliabue started The Committee on Mild Traumatic Brain Injury to explore the injuries and left the results with new commissioner, Roger Goodell.
Although settlement for players ensued, the concussions are still around.
For 28% of pro footballers, head problems not just restricted to dizziness are a result of the pounding every week in the NFL. Dr Bennet Omalu, a forensic pathologist, in Concussion, based on a true story, begins in 2002 the outside-of-the-league autopsies that will eventually expose the CTE impairment and other life-threatening results of the professional battering.
As gently and convincingly played by Will Smith, the doctor eventually gets the NFL and world's attention by scientifically exploring the dead bodies of former players. As in the tobacco wars, the corporation, in this case the league, denies any connection, but that stand is bound to deteriorate as devoted scientists and doctors who know the players are forced to admit the causal relationship.
The film is absorbing when it plays like a medical thriller, perhaps like something Michael Crichton would write in non science fiction. When Concussion tries to integrate the more melodramatic elements of Dr. Omalu's life such as his marriage and the couple's miscarriage, the film becomes mired in tears and melancholy, unfitting for a story worth telling about the professional struggle alone.
Concussion's emphasis on the need for public awareness of the probable danger of tackle football is well presented, even though the NFL seems like a Bond villain's empire. Commissioner Paul Tagliabue started The Committee on Mild Traumatic Brain Injury to explore the injuries and left the results with new commissioner, Roger Goodell.
Although settlement for players ensued, the concussions are still around.
Concussion is a worthy drama about why some NFL players suffer from some mental problems
tavm26 December 2015
Just watched this "Based on a True Story" drama with my movie theatre-working friend. We both were enthralled by this story of Will Smith's Nigerian doctor finding out about a former NFL football player's death after suffering a concussion of the head and his later attempts to analyze similar fatalities of other deaths involving football players. Alec Baldwin plays another doctor who was also once a football player who sympathizes with Will's plight especially when the organization tries to put a stop to it all. We also get a little look at Will's character's off-duty life with a woman who's living with him and who's also from his country. Maybe there could have been some improvements, drama-wise. Still, Concussion is worth a look for anyone wanting to learn why not more is done to make sure many of these players are protected from constant injuries when on the field.
This movie shows it is Time for Change, MUST SEE!
chucksonspets29 December 2015
I've played football at every level and nearly every professional football league possible for the last 20 years of my life and trust me when I say this movie is a MUST SEE!! After watching "Concussion" with my son on Christmas day I had an epic awakening of common sense. The movie hit home so hard for me that I will no longer support the game of football. I will not play, coach, or watch it again until overall awareness and change is set in place for the affects of playing the game to be accounted for in some kind of way on a large scale. I have played this game for the last 20 years of my life and have physically felt the affects of it more and more each year. If you have played this game you know the "SuperMan" like culture that comes with it. How it is a sin to get hurt or say "I have a headache". I will no longer turn a blind eye to the long term affects of ignoring the phrase. What the normal fan or anyone who hasn't played the game at a high level doesn't know is the stress and depression that comes with leaving the game. I'd equate it to being the same as losing a spouse of 30+ years but add 100 blows to the head every day of each year. You already feel lost and meaningless but you also have years of brain damage which inflates the process. I grew up with a love for football because of its culture, all the great things it taught me, and the qualities it brought out of me and my "brothers", my teammates. BUT all of that is not worth my life after football. The fact of the matter is we as a society have turned a blind eye to the long term affects of playing football and I refuse to be a part of the problem any longer. This movie is not as visually gripping as it could have been and it also doesn't expand anywhere near as far as it could have on the obvious occurrence of brain injuries throughout every level of the sport but it gets right to the point and it shines light on the facts. The sport isn't going anywhere safe until the NFL does and the NFL has not and probably will not because of money. If change in the sport is going to occur it has to start at the top. After watching this movie every parent has to question if they want their child to participate in this sport. For me and my children, it's a definite "No-Brainer".
Will Smith Steps Up to the Plate, Script Falters
ClaytonDavis11 November 2015
Read more @ The Awards Circuit (http://www.awardscircuit.com)
An inspiring, academic by the name of Dr. Bennet Omalu takes on the titan of Sundays, the NFL, in order to prove a direct link from head trauma during football games to CTE, a football related injury that occurs. Writer/director Peter Landesman takes on the very detailed, and dramatic thriller "Concussion," with an insightful amount of control in direction, mostly thanks to Academy Award winning editor William Goldenberg, who keeps most of the film at a decent pace. However, with a clichéd script that brings the eye-rolling effect to a fever pitch, you can't help but wish that the material was more rendered and secure in its delivery. Surely to bring on an inner rage as we watch these men, so revered by Americans on a weekly basis, beg for absolution as they lose sight of themselves as time progresses. What doesn't work in "Concussion's" favor is the glossing over the real human condition that is so desperately apparent in each frame the film attempts to show.
Starring two-time Academy Award nominee Will Smith as Omalu, he delivers one of his strongest performances ever. An impeccable capture of a man from Africa, soulfully searching for acceptance in America, Smith brings a visible intensity in each line spoken. Settling into a role that calls for the best parts of Smith's charisma, which he has demonstrated effortlessly throughout his career, he handles it with an equally emotional heft that garners most of the film's best moments. This is a performance that deserves to be considered for the Academy Award for Best Actor.
Landesman also constructs a decent cast with Alec Baldwin (not totally owning his own southern-ish accent in his exchanges), Gugu Mbatha- Raw (beautiful but utterly wasted in under developed scenes), and David Morse (who deserves much more roles and is quite effective in his limited screen time). Of all the supporting players, Albert Brooks delivers as the vulgar Dr. Cyril Wecht. It'll call back to his beloved turn in "Drive" just a few years back (minus villainous murders). As a distracting entity, Luke Wilson cast as Roger Goodell is a poor choice by the filmmakers, serving nothing more as celebrity wallpaper.
Composer James Newton Howard puts his horns on overload, sweeping into scenes that work well in films like "The Village" but with a film such as "Concussion," it begins to grate on the ears at times.
At 123 minutes, the film bloats like you over indulged at dinner time. In some bizarre, and almost "too try hard" choices, Landesman attempts to focus on some of the more "human" and "natural" elements of Dr. Omalu's life. As we find ourselves more interested in the case at hand, the writer/director almost sets out to make his version of "The Insider," which would be fine if he got a better grasp on which elements he should focus on.
"Concussion" isn't a complete failure, delivering at times with a grandiose turn from Will Smith. If anything, he's more than worth the admission ticket but I believe most of all, the film does successfully place a spotlight on an issue that is in desperate need of change. The final title cards will prove the NFL's power, and even deepen your frustration and anger. I think that it'll at least offer up a discussion point. That's success on its own.
An inspiring, academic by the name of Dr. Bennet Omalu takes on the titan of Sundays, the NFL, in order to prove a direct link from head trauma during football games to CTE, a football related injury that occurs. Writer/director Peter Landesman takes on the very detailed, and dramatic thriller "Concussion," with an insightful amount of control in direction, mostly thanks to Academy Award winning editor William Goldenberg, who keeps most of the film at a decent pace. However, with a clichéd script that brings the eye-rolling effect to a fever pitch, you can't help but wish that the material was more rendered and secure in its delivery. Surely to bring on an inner rage as we watch these men, so revered by Americans on a weekly basis, beg for absolution as they lose sight of themselves as time progresses. What doesn't work in "Concussion's" favor is the glossing over the real human condition that is so desperately apparent in each frame the film attempts to show.
Starring two-time Academy Award nominee Will Smith as Omalu, he delivers one of his strongest performances ever. An impeccable capture of a man from Africa, soulfully searching for acceptance in America, Smith brings a visible intensity in each line spoken. Settling into a role that calls for the best parts of Smith's charisma, which he has demonstrated effortlessly throughout his career, he handles it with an equally emotional heft that garners most of the film's best moments. This is a performance that deserves to be considered for the Academy Award for Best Actor.
Landesman also constructs a decent cast with Alec Baldwin (not totally owning his own southern-ish accent in his exchanges), Gugu Mbatha- Raw (beautiful but utterly wasted in under developed scenes), and David Morse (who deserves much more roles and is quite effective in his limited screen time). Of all the supporting players, Albert Brooks delivers as the vulgar Dr. Cyril Wecht. It'll call back to his beloved turn in "Drive" just a few years back (minus villainous murders). As a distracting entity, Luke Wilson cast as Roger Goodell is a poor choice by the filmmakers, serving nothing more as celebrity wallpaper.
Composer James Newton Howard puts his horns on overload, sweeping into scenes that work well in films like "The Village" but with a film such as "Concussion," it begins to grate on the ears at times.
At 123 minutes, the film bloats like you over indulged at dinner time. In some bizarre, and almost "too try hard" choices, Landesman attempts to focus on some of the more "human" and "natural" elements of Dr. Omalu's life. As we find ourselves more interested in the case at hand, the writer/director almost sets out to make his version of "The Insider," which would be fine if he got a better grasp on which elements he should focus on.
"Concussion" isn't a complete failure, delivering at times with a grandiose turn from Will Smith. If anything, he's more than worth the admission ticket but I believe most of all, the film does successfully place a spotlight on an issue that is in desperate need of change. The final title cards will prove the NFL's power, and even deepen your frustration and anger. I think that it'll at least offer up a discussion point. That's success on its own.
An Medical Story That Had Repercussions Around The World
damianphelps16 December 2020
The findings presented in this movie changed the sporting landscape forever.
That should not be diminished and I think from a global point of view this was under-represented in the movie, as it changed many sports not just the NFL.
A well delivered story that feels surprisingly short. I thought the actors were well cast and the tone of the movie was perfect.
Interesting and entertaining...a good mix.
That should not be diminished and I think from a global point of view this was under-represented in the movie, as it changed many sports not just the NFL.
A well delivered story that feels surprisingly short. I thought the actors were well cast and the tone of the movie was perfect.
Interesting and entertaining...a good mix.
A film that hits hard and bears lasting effects on the viewer
StevePulaski26 December 2015
It seems there is nothing more American than a corporation going against damn-near indisputable evidence of harm being done or being perpetuated by their silence. In the 1990's, it was tobacco tycoons like Philip Morris and R. J. Reynolds funneling countless money to lobbyists in effort to keep word from getting around that smoking cigarettes and cigars causes innumerable health problems to ones system, and in the modern day, it's the rampant denial of climate change by big oil companies like BP and the billionaire Koch brothers. Somewhere in between blowing the lid off of both the tobacco and the oil industry was a deeper, more human-centered issue that shocked a corporation that has gone on to own a day of the week.
That issue is concussions and pervasive, crippling head trauma in the National Football League. In 2002, following the death of former Pittsburgh Steelers center Mike Webster, a Nigerian pathologist named Dr. Bennet Omalu discovered that repetitive head trauma, by way of thunderous and recurring blows to the head, winds up choking the brain, which sits inside the human skull in a bath of fluids disconnected from any part of the skull. Dr. Omalu's research discovered that Webster's bouts of dizziness, paranoia, and instability were results of taking thousands of blows to the head - the equivalent of more than 20,000 car accidents - while playing football. Omalu's research would seem outlandish if it didn't keep being proved, following the death of Steelers offensive tackle Justin Strzelczyk, who had suffered from chronic trauma encephalopathy (CTE), and the suicides of Philadelphia Eagles safety Andre Waters and Chicago Bears safety Dave Duerson, who wound up donating his brain to Omalu for research.
Upon Omalu's findings being published and released to the public, he was met with widespread criticism for his lack of formal U.S. citizenship and his alleged efforts to take down or neuter one of America's most cherished sports. The NFL, including the newly appointed commissioner Roger Goodell, tried everything to silence Omalu, even going to great lengths by staging panels and press conferences that made the public look like the league was addressing the problem, when really, it was nothing more than a publicity stunt.
Though it's difficult to go any Sunday without hearing something about concussions during a game, be it from a coach asserting that he's taking every step to prevent such matters, or a player experiencing concussion-like symptoms, Omalu's story is given the recognition it deserves in Peter Landesman's "Concussion." Landesman, who wrote and directed "Parkland," a film about the multitude of key people that witnessed the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on the frontlines, molds "Concussion" into a tense, slowburn procedural with a strong central performance at its core.
Omalu is played by Will Smith in what is a comeback role he was lucky to get. After the notorious financial and critical failure of "After Earth," Smith was sidelined as a movie star, barely earning a secondary mention in the forgotten 2014 "Winter's Tale." This was a role he needed in order to propel him back to the frontlines as one of America's strongest and most consistently impressive actors, and needless to say, he nails it. His performance as Omalu is understated and thoughtful, as he plays the softspoken, Nigerian pathologist with strong charisma, effectively depicting an almost meditative admiration for America as the homeland of God's people where anything is possible. Even certain scenes in the trailer, such as the famous "tell the truth" scene that came off as corny as a stand-alone moment, achieve fireworks here as Smith is back in his element.
Right by Smith's side is Alec Baldwin, playing Dr. Julian Bales, an NFL-appointed doctor for teammates, who abandons his cozy, high-paying job for the greater good of mentally unstable football players that run the risk of dying under the same circumstances as Webster. Baldwin does a nice job of holding his own weight as a character in this film and not intruding on Smith's almost tour-de-force performance as Omalu.
As an audience member, I can see from the montages of football games in the film and hear from the sound two helmets or skulls make on impact that that kind of repetitive trauma isn't good for the head, just from a logic standpoint. I can see from Webster's worn-face and addiction to painkillers as he lives in the back of his beater pickup truck that the effects of that kind of trauma are lasting. I don't need to be told in multiple different terms I cannot remember, let alone pronounce, how and what membranes are affected in the brain by that kind of brutality. Landesman thankfully recognizes this and makes "Concussion" about those who suffer from this kind of illness and Omalu's struggle to be honest and compassionate as he goes up against a money-hungry, corporate entity interested in protecting their own brand rather than the lives of those that make said brand what it is.
"Concussion" is a film that succeeds because it's a human-centered story, with two strong performances that work off of one another, yet stand alone in their own elements, in addition to having some seriously crisp, almost dreamlike cinematography (done by Salvatore Totino, who also did the cinematography for "Changing Lanes" and "The Missing"). Some will complain it's not as critical of the NFL as it should be, and some will find the lack of explicit science deceptive in some way. For me, it's about all you can ask for a film that simply wants the truth and human-scale to prevail above all. It doesn't have the slickness nor the social relevance angle that this year's amazing "Spotlight" had, but it also serves as competent dramatic entertainment in addition to being the nudge we all need before we fall asleep from our wakeup on this issue.
That issue is concussions and pervasive, crippling head trauma in the National Football League. In 2002, following the death of former Pittsburgh Steelers center Mike Webster, a Nigerian pathologist named Dr. Bennet Omalu discovered that repetitive head trauma, by way of thunderous and recurring blows to the head, winds up choking the brain, which sits inside the human skull in a bath of fluids disconnected from any part of the skull. Dr. Omalu's research discovered that Webster's bouts of dizziness, paranoia, and instability were results of taking thousands of blows to the head - the equivalent of more than 20,000 car accidents - while playing football. Omalu's research would seem outlandish if it didn't keep being proved, following the death of Steelers offensive tackle Justin Strzelczyk, who had suffered from chronic trauma encephalopathy (CTE), and the suicides of Philadelphia Eagles safety Andre Waters and Chicago Bears safety Dave Duerson, who wound up donating his brain to Omalu for research.
Upon Omalu's findings being published and released to the public, he was met with widespread criticism for his lack of formal U.S. citizenship and his alleged efforts to take down or neuter one of America's most cherished sports. The NFL, including the newly appointed commissioner Roger Goodell, tried everything to silence Omalu, even going to great lengths by staging panels and press conferences that made the public look like the league was addressing the problem, when really, it was nothing more than a publicity stunt.
Though it's difficult to go any Sunday without hearing something about concussions during a game, be it from a coach asserting that he's taking every step to prevent such matters, or a player experiencing concussion-like symptoms, Omalu's story is given the recognition it deserves in Peter Landesman's "Concussion." Landesman, who wrote and directed "Parkland," a film about the multitude of key people that witnessed the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on the frontlines, molds "Concussion" into a tense, slowburn procedural with a strong central performance at its core.
Omalu is played by Will Smith in what is a comeback role he was lucky to get. After the notorious financial and critical failure of "After Earth," Smith was sidelined as a movie star, barely earning a secondary mention in the forgotten 2014 "Winter's Tale." This was a role he needed in order to propel him back to the frontlines as one of America's strongest and most consistently impressive actors, and needless to say, he nails it. His performance as Omalu is understated and thoughtful, as he plays the softspoken, Nigerian pathologist with strong charisma, effectively depicting an almost meditative admiration for America as the homeland of God's people where anything is possible. Even certain scenes in the trailer, such as the famous "tell the truth" scene that came off as corny as a stand-alone moment, achieve fireworks here as Smith is back in his element.
Right by Smith's side is Alec Baldwin, playing Dr. Julian Bales, an NFL-appointed doctor for teammates, who abandons his cozy, high-paying job for the greater good of mentally unstable football players that run the risk of dying under the same circumstances as Webster. Baldwin does a nice job of holding his own weight as a character in this film and not intruding on Smith's almost tour-de-force performance as Omalu.
As an audience member, I can see from the montages of football games in the film and hear from the sound two helmets or skulls make on impact that that kind of repetitive trauma isn't good for the head, just from a logic standpoint. I can see from Webster's worn-face and addiction to painkillers as he lives in the back of his beater pickup truck that the effects of that kind of trauma are lasting. I don't need to be told in multiple different terms I cannot remember, let alone pronounce, how and what membranes are affected in the brain by that kind of brutality. Landesman thankfully recognizes this and makes "Concussion" about those who suffer from this kind of illness and Omalu's struggle to be honest and compassionate as he goes up against a money-hungry, corporate entity interested in protecting their own brand rather than the lives of those that make said brand what it is.
"Concussion" is a film that succeeds because it's a human-centered story, with two strong performances that work off of one another, yet stand alone in their own elements, in addition to having some seriously crisp, almost dreamlike cinematography (done by Salvatore Totino, who also did the cinematography for "Changing Lanes" and "The Missing"). Some will complain it's not as critical of the NFL as it should be, and some will find the lack of explicit science deceptive in some way. For me, it's about all you can ask for a film that simply wants the truth and human-scale to prevail above all. It doesn't have the slickness nor the social relevance angle that this year's amazing "Spotlight" had, but it also serves as competent dramatic entertainment in addition to being the nudge we all need before we fall asleep from our wakeup on this issue.
Well Acted, albeit Underwhelming Drama,
lesleyharris302 April 2017
Concussion is a good movie with a reasonably well developed plot and a fantastic cast. It is certainly a very intriguing story, made all the while more enjoyable with a stellar group of actors who were very committed and clearly did their research for their roles. Will Smith is probably the most unlike himself he's ever been here, having completely transformed in to this Nigerian doctor. The "truth" moment is particularly powerful and showcased just how deep in to this part Smith immersed himself.
I was very underwhelmed by the plot itself, it is quite a slow moving film as the entire situation is so straight forward that they were clearly trying to stretch out how little of a story they had as much as they could.
As well as that, it has no proper conclusion. I understand that this is exactly what happened in real life, but I would have liked a bit more closure. It finishes raising more questions than it had answered.
It is a film that can take you away solely on its performances. Well acted and directed, Concussion may leave you a little disappointed, but it is still worth the watch if you are looking for a good drama, just do not go out of your way to see it.
A Nigerian doctor discovers the truth behind the amount of brain damage that has occurred to major football players.
Best Performance: Will Smith
I was very underwhelmed by the plot itself, it is quite a slow moving film as the entire situation is so straight forward that they were clearly trying to stretch out how little of a story they had as much as they could.
As well as that, it has no proper conclusion. I understand that this is exactly what happened in real life, but I would have liked a bit more closure. It finishes raising more questions than it had answered.
It is a film that can take you away solely on its performances. Well acted and directed, Concussion may leave you a little disappointed, but it is still worth the watch if you are looking for a good drama, just do not go out of your way to see it.
A Nigerian doctor discovers the truth behind the amount of brain damage that has occurred to major football players.
Best Performance: Will Smith
Excellent movie... must see it!!!
danielms131 December 2015
Just watched this movie and blew my mind. The acting, the story line, together with science and drama, were perfect. Very inspiring movie, since is based on true case. Truth always come true, it is just a mere of time and this movie shows that by telling us what it is to be a pioneer and a messenger of truth. This is a must-see movie.
Also, I identified myself with main character. I immigrant doctor with so much respect and aspirations for the USA, that slowly discoveries the dark side of big corporation. In fact, this is not only America problem, it is human nature and can be find anywhere in this planet.
Finally, I think Will Smith should be nominated for best actor - Oscar. He pulled out a very good role in playing the Nigerian pathology doctor... wanna know more? go and watch the movie!
Also, I identified myself with main character. I immigrant doctor with so much respect and aspirations for the USA, that slowly discoveries the dark side of big corporation. In fact, this is not only America problem, it is human nature and can be find anywhere in this planet.
Finally, I think Will Smith should be nominated for best actor - Oscar. He pulled out a very good role in playing the Nigerian pathology doctor... wanna know more? go and watch the movie!
Opinion on Concussion
josebarajas-1123813 February 2021
First of all I think that Concussion has a good casting, Will Smith and Alec Baldwin worked really good on screen, the acting of Will Smith, specially his nigerian accent is really good, photography is quite interesting, the colors represent some type of Grey felling in the air, good movie, maybe top 10 of Will Smith movies.
Doesn't hit as hard as I hoped
asher-luberto22 December 2015
Concussion is a biographical picture that takes place in the early 2000's. The movie starts out by showing these players who freak out and start getting dimentia. Will Smith is a pathologist who starts doing autopsies on these players and discovers that there is a common theme, being repeated head trauma to the brain. The NFL knew about what was going on, but didn't say anything. Will Smith tries to shine light on the situation but the NFL does what it can so that the story does not leak.
This movie was a movie I had been looking forward to for a long time because I thought it was very courageous for a movie to tackle this (pun intended) especially with the NFL playoffs right around the corner. This movie certainly makes a statement, but doesn't pack the punch I was hoping to see. Now this movie is not all bad. Will Smith delivers his best performance to date, which he is already being acknowledged for a golden globes (as he should be). He is phenomenal in his role and is committed. Smith does have an accent, but after a couple minutes, you forget that there even is an accent, and you truly believe he talks the way he does. As for the other performances, they were top notch as well.
Besides the performances "Concussion" is a let down. By the end you will find yourself wanting more. There is so much more you wanted to learn about the matter at hand, that the movie drifts away from. The movie ends up being more about Will Smiths character than the football itself, which is fine, but not the movie I thought I was going to see. But it did take away from the balance of the movie.
In the end, As a quarterback I wanted Concussion to go for the endzone, but it ends up doing more of a button hook.
This movie was a movie I had been looking forward to for a long time because I thought it was very courageous for a movie to tackle this (pun intended) especially with the NFL playoffs right around the corner. This movie certainly makes a statement, but doesn't pack the punch I was hoping to see. Now this movie is not all bad. Will Smith delivers his best performance to date, which he is already being acknowledged for a golden globes (as he should be). He is phenomenal in his role and is committed. Smith does have an accent, but after a couple minutes, you forget that there even is an accent, and you truly believe he talks the way he does. As for the other performances, they were top notch as well.
Besides the performances "Concussion" is a let down. By the end you will find yourself wanting more. There is so much more you wanted to learn about the matter at hand, that the movie drifts away from. The movie ends up being more about Will Smiths character than the football itself, which is fine, but not the movie I thought I was going to see. But it did take away from the balance of the movie.
In the end, As a quarterback I wanted Concussion to go for the endzone, but it ends up doing more of a button hook.
Great Performances Make the Film
Michael_Elliott3 June 2016
Concussion (2015)
*** (out of 4)
Pathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu (Will Smith) is working as a coroner in Pittsburg when Steelers legend Mike Webster (David Morse) shows up on his table. Omalu is confused as to why what appears to be a healthy man would have so many hidden issues. After reviewing Webster's brain the doctor begins to think that playing football has done damage to his brain but as the doctor starts to spread his warning the NFL tries to shut him up.
CONCUSSION, the movie, got pretty much overlooked at the box office and it didn't quite catch on like I'm sure everyone involved in it had hoped. If anything the movie made the most noise when Smith's wife threw a fit that her husband wasn't nominated for an Oscar and the fallout that followed is probably what the movie will always be remembered for. It should also prove that the majority of people who watch football on Sunday's probably don't care about the damage being done.
As far as the film goes, it's certainly has many flaws but there's no question that it remains entertaining throughout, although I'd argue that there are a lot of times where it feels like a made-for-television movie. There's just not enough energy or power that comes from the film and I think it needed to be a bit darker. With that said, there's still a lot to enjoy here including the performances, which are without a doubt the best thing here.
Smith turns in the best performance of his career (not one of the year's five best though, sorry Jada) as the African born doctor who finds himself constantly battling to prove his science. I thought the accent by Smith was terrific and you certainly saw a real character while watching the movie and not once did you feel that you were seeing an actor. The supporting cast includes nice work from Alec Baldwin, Albert Brookes and several others but I was really impressed with the work of Morse. He has always been one of the most underrated character actors and he turns in a brilliant performance here.
CONCUSSION isn't a great movie and it's certainly not one of the year's best but it's an entertaining film.
*** (out of 4)
Pathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu (Will Smith) is working as a coroner in Pittsburg when Steelers legend Mike Webster (David Morse) shows up on his table. Omalu is confused as to why what appears to be a healthy man would have so many hidden issues. After reviewing Webster's brain the doctor begins to think that playing football has done damage to his brain but as the doctor starts to spread his warning the NFL tries to shut him up.
CONCUSSION, the movie, got pretty much overlooked at the box office and it didn't quite catch on like I'm sure everyone involved in it had hoped. If anything the movie made the most noise when Smith's wife threw a fit that her husband wasn't nominated for an Oscar and the fallout that followed is probably what the movie will always be remembered for. It should also prove that the majority of people who watch football on Sunday's probably don't care about the damage being done.
As far as the film goes, it's certainly has many flaws but there's no question that it remains entertaining throughout, although I'd argue that there are a lot of times where it feels like a made-for-television movie. There's just not enough energy or power that comes from the film and I think it needed to be a bit darker. With that said, there's still a lot to enjoy here including the performances, which are without a doubt the best thing here.
Smith turns in the best performance of his career (not one of the year's five best though, sorry Jada) as the African born doctor who finds himself constantly battling to prove his science. I thought the accent by Smith was terrific and you certainly saw a real character while watching the movie and not once did you feel that you were seeing an actor. The supporting cast includes nice work from Alec Baldwin, Albert Brookes and several others but I was really impressed with the work of Morse. He has always been one of the most underrated character actors and he turns in a brilliant performance here.
CONCUSSION isn't a great movie and it's certainly not one of the year's best but it's an entertaining film.
I'm impressed by Will Smith
Gordon-116 January 2016
This film tells the story of an African neuropathologist who discovers that repeated concussion caused by long term football playing lead to psychiatric problems. He sets out to prove it, but there's huge resistance from the football world.
I am impressed by the African accent put on by Will Smith. It is so convincing and it makes me see Will Smith in a new light! The story starts off slow, but in the middle of gets very engaging when Dr Omalu has to stand up for what is right. Though his fight against the powerful is not portrayed in much detail, I can still feel his difficult struggle against the mighty powerful people. I think "Concussion" is a touching story.
I am impressed by the African accent put on by Will Smith. It is so convincing and it makes me see Will Smith in a new light! The story starts off slow, but in the middle of gets very engaging when Dr Omalu has to stand up for what is right. Though his fight against the powerful is not portrayed in much detail, I can still feel his difficult struggle against the mighty powerful people. I think "Concussion" is a touching story.
Shout the message from the rooftops!
phd_travel5 September 2016
The message of this movie needs to be shouted from the rooftops: football is too dangerous a sport for human beings. Is it somehow unpatriotic to say anything bad about football and how brutal and barbaric it can be on the players? People watch human beings pound and smash against each other but don't think what it does to those people being hurt. The story of this brave doctor from Africa is very interesting and it's admirable how he takes on the establishment at great personal cost. It's quite moving to see the damage inflicted on the players and their families.
Will Smith does a good accent and inhabits his character well. He should have been nominated for an Oscar even if it wasn't maybe an Oscar winning performance.
Haven't we evolved from Roman times watching gladiators get killed for fun? Parents think twice about what you are letting your son in for. It's a violent culture that enjoys boxing and football so we shouldn't be surprised that there is so much violence on the streets.
Will Smith does a good accent and inhabits his character well. He should have been nominated for an Oscar even if it wasn't maybe an Oscar winning performance.
Haven't we evolved from Roman times watching gladiators get killed for fun? Parents think twice about what you are letting your son in for. It's a violent culture that enjoys boxing and football so we shouldn't be surprised that there is so much violence on the streets.
A waste of potential.
Rendanlovell26 December 2015
'Concussion' is one of those movies that you watch once and never even think about again. It's a film that seems to stand solely on the principle of getting Will Smith an Oscar nomination. Because virtually nothing else in the film even compares to his dedication. Even writer/director Peter Landesman seems to not care about this film as much as Smith does. It's one of those films that you would call "Oscar Bait". A movie that has next to no substance aside from an all star actor acting their tail off. The other "Oscar Bait" film I saw this year was 'Black Mass'. It's unfortunate that this is becoming more and more popular these days. Each time I see one of these films I can't help but feel like we missed out on a superb story. A story that, in a talented directors hands, could be a legitimately good film. But I'm not saying that this film is terrible. It's not. It's more mediocre than anything.
Of course the standout here is Will Smith. Again, he seems to be the only person on this entire project that actually cares. He does the very best with the material he has and what results is his best performance for some time. Aside from him, the film harbors a fairly interesting story. A story that should've been put to better use. The fact this film seems to only exist to help Smith snag one of those golden trophies makes this story feel neutered.
The lack of dedication and vision makes this miraculous, real life story boring. It fails to bring attention to the dangers of concussions and simultaneously fails to communicate how great this man is. Instead of watching a war between one man and a giant corporation unfold we get endless, blank faced conversations. While we certainly see how much this man did the film fails to show what he had to go through.
The film gets off to a hot start explaining how educated Omalu is and how he approaches his craft in an artistic way. We see him discover what repetitive head trauma can do to human beings and suddenly the film becomes an incomprehensible mess. What should've been the best parts of the film turn into mindless nonsense. It has such a hard time deciding what storyline to follow that it just follows them all.
This derailing is only made worse by extremely distracting directorial mistakes. The editing in some dialogue scenes is so awkward it's hard not to get thrown from the movie and back into your seat. There are cuts in the middle of sentences so many times that I found my self in awe of how little effort was put into making the film flow. There is literally a scene where, I swear, the camera man feel asleep and they kept the shot in the movie. Will Smith leans forward while he is talking and the camera doesn't move with him. So, we watch his eyes and forehead while he continues to talk, half out of frame until the camera bumbles its way into the correct position.
This is one of those movies that knows it doesn't really have to try. It knows that it is only being made as a vessel to propel someone to the award show stage. So, it doesn't try. It's uneven, forced, and poorly directed. The only person who seems to be fully invested is Will Smith. Who gives his best performance in quite some time. To bad it's in a movie that no one will remember within a week.
Of course the standout here is Will Smith. Again, he seems to be the only person on this entire project that actually cares. He does the very best with the material he has and what results is his best performance for some time. Aside from him, the film harbors a fairly interesting story. A story that should've been put to better use. The fact this film seems to only exist to help Smith snag one of those golden trophies makes this story feel neutered.
The lack of dedication and vision makes this miraculous, real life story boring. It fails to bring attention to the dangers of concussions and simultaneously fails to communicate how great this man is. Instead of watching a war between one man and a giant corporation unfold we get endless, blank faced conversations. While we certainly see how much this man did the film fails to show what he had to go through.
The film gets off to a hot start explaining how educated Omalu is and how he approaches his craft in an artistic way. We see him discover what repetitive head trauma can do to human beings and suddenly the film becomes an incomprehensible mess. What should've been the best parts of the film turn into mindless nonsense. It has such a hard time deciding what storyline to follow that it just follows them all.
This derailing is only made worse by extremely distracting directorial mistakes. The editing in some dialogue scenes is so awkward it's hard not to get thrown from the movie and back into your seat. There are cuts in the middle of sentences so many times that I found my self in awe of how little effort was put into making the film flow. There is literally a scene where, I swear, the camera man feel asleep and they kept the shot in the movie. Will Smith leans forward while he is talking and the camera doesn't move with him. So, we watch his eyes and forehead while he continues to talk, half out of frame until the camera bumbles its way into the correct position.
This is one of those movies that knows it doesn't really have to try. It knows that it is only being made as a vessel to propel someone to the award show stage. So, it doesn't try. It's uneven, forced, and poorly directed. The only person who seems to be fully invested is Will Smith. Who gives his best performance in quite some time. To bad it's in a movie that no one will remember within a week.
A boring Oscar baiter
eddie_baggins22 September 2016
It's more than likely that Oscars were on the mind of Parkland director Peter Landesman and his cast and crew when Concussion was being developed.
A film that deals with American's favourite past time in the form of the American Football League and the well liked scenario of kindly hearted professionals taking it to the big men, Concussion seems like perfect fodder for Oscar voters and ripe bait for film critics but with a heavy handed delivery and a main protagonist that is just seriously way to nice for real life, Concussion feels like a soft blow where it should've been a touchdown.
Telling the fairly intriguing true story of all round nice guy and neurosurgeon Dr. Bennet Omalu and his discoveries on the effects of concussion's on professional football players, Landesman's film never lands a killer blow in concerns to either establishing Dr. Omalu as a character that feels overly believable as Will Smith's portrayal feels rather over drawn, right down to a put upon accent that screams acting not inhabiting, while the actual process of Dr. Omalu's delving's into the science of these concussion stories never takes hold and drives the story even though it's a tale that needs to be told.
Some of Concussion's most effective scenes occur early on within the piece with David Morse's underused portrayal of ex-NFL star turned tormented soul Mike Webster creating a huge impact with its confronting nature of the true eventualities of repeated head traumas on a human being.
It would've been of great benefit to Concussion to have more of these scenes as Dr. Omalu's boardroom meetings and confrontations with NFL bigwigs feel undercooked even though Smith goes full throttle with his showpiece scenes filled with overblown dialogue "tell the truth"! and watery eyes. More time examining the harsh realities of these sportsman's burdens and less time spent developing uninteresting romantic subplots and bit players and Concussion may just have been the film it was intended to be.
There's insightful information to be gathered from Concussion and sporadic emotional payoffs but surrounded by an overall sense of going through the motions and a miscued development of characters, Landesman's film never truly had a chance to nail its plays. Coming off as a try hard player rather than a sincere dramatization of some sport defining rulings, Concussion is very much lacklustre drama at its most polished yet uninvolving.
2 slow autopsy's out of 5
A film that deals with American's favourite past time in the form of the American Football League and the well liked scenario of kindly hearted professionals taking it to the big men, Concussion seems like perfect fodder for Oscar voters and ripe bait for film critics but with a heavy handed delivery and a main protagonist that is just seriously way to nice for real life, Concussion feels like a soft blow where it should've been a touchdown.
Telling the fairly intriguing true story of all round nice guy and neurosurgeon Dr. Bennet Omalu and his discoveries on the effects of concussion's on professional football players, Landesman's film never lands a killer blow in concerns to either establishing Dr. Omalu as a character that feels overly believable as Will Smith's portrayal feels rather over drawn, right down to a put upon accent that screams acting not inhabiting, while the actual process of Dr. Omalu's delving's into the science of these concussion stories never takes hold and drives the story even though it's a tale that needs to be told.
Some of Concussion's most effective scenes occur early on within the piece with David Morse's underused portrayal of ex-NFL star turned tormented soul Mike Webster creating a huge impact with its confronting nature of the true eventualities of repeated head traumas on a human being.
It would've been of great benefit to Concussion to have more of these scenes as Dr. Omalu's boardroom meetings and confrontations with NFL bigwigs feel undercooked even though Smith goes full throttle with his showpiece scenes filled with overblown dialogue "tell the truth"! and watery eyes. More time examining the harsh realities of these sportsman's burdens and less time spent developing uninteresting romantic subplots and bit players and Concussion may just have been the film it was intended to be.
There's insightful information to be gathered from Concussion and sporadic emotional payoffs but surrounded by an overall sense of going through the motions and a miscued development of characters, Landesman's film never truly had a chance to nail its plays. Coming off as a try hard player rather than a sincere dramatization of some sport defining rulings, Concussion is very much lacklustre drama at its most polished yet uninvolving.
2 slow autopsy's out of 5
You almost have to admire the 1%
bonsai-superstar23 December 2015
6 corporations control 90% of all media in the US. So, of course, the same people that made this movie are the same people that own sports teams and suppressed the truth about concussions. So, while they may have temporarily lost money due to the expose, they are making some of it back selling this tearjerker back to you!
Are the facts about concussions true? Of course! Even a layman should be able to figure out that literally thousands of hits to the brain are not a good thing. It's likely that it wasn't figured out for so long as most of the winners that choose to play sports don't have a lot of brainpower when they start the sport, so the effects weren't immediately apparent. And it's no secret that a full / real education is not exactly a priority for these apes.
The movie? Well, the simple title is a spoiler for this slow (no pun intended) burner. The editing was awful, as the viewer is forced to suffer through a bunch of boring montages. Will Smith was pretty good, as always. The good Albert Brooks and great Alec Baldwin did as well as they could do, given the bland characters they were written.
Are the facts about concussions true? Of course! Even a layman should be able to figure out that literally thousands of hits to the brain are not a good thing. It's likely that it wasn't figured out for so long as most of the winners that choose to play sports don't have a lot of brainpower when they start the sport, so the effects weren't immediately apparent. And it's no secret that a full / real education is not exactly a priority for these apes.
The movie? Well, the simple title is a spoiler for this slow (no pun intended) burner. The editing was awful, as the viewer is forced to suffer through a bunch of boring montages. Will Smith was pretty good, as always. The good Albert Brooks and great Alec Baldwin did as well as they could do, given the bland characters they were written.
If Will Smith doesn't get an Oscar for this, something rots in the "Academy"!
hywellda25 December 2015
Will Smith's character hasn't a REMOTE semblance to Mr. Smith's usual tongue-in-cheek, Fresh Prince.
His concentration never waivers in sadness or a smile, in serious discussion or anger.
There's a term that's used on stage called "breaking character". You won't see THAT in this film.
The subject matter brings a sad commentary to light. Too often sick or injured people are regarded by those of authority as people who are strictly bad "actors" whose behavior is deliberate, and under their control.
The saddest thing that this movie presents is that Doctors, who should be more aware and first to alarm, often are the "authorities" that perpetuate the fallacy.
KUDOS to Will Smith and the rest of the cast for presenting a film that not merely entertains, but presents the subject with the seriousness it deserves and a sledge hammer to the heart.
His concentration never waivers in sadness or a smile, in serious discussion or anger.
There's a term that's used on stage called "breaking character". You won't see THAT in this film.
The subject matter brings a sad commentary to light. Too often sick or injured people are regarded by those of authority as people who are strictly bad "actors" whose behavior is deliberate, and under their control.
The saddest thing that this movie presents is that Doctors, who should be more aware and first to alarm, often are the "authorities" that perpetuate the fallacy.
KUDOS to Will Smith and the rest of the cast for presenting a film that not merely entertains, but presents the subject with the seriousness it deserves and a sledge hammer to the heart.
"Concussion" is not a bad film, although its script, linear and conventional, seems to have been molded to suit the heroic, very positive to Smith win awards for his acting
fernandoschiavi23 August 2023
"Concussion" began as a project by Ridley Scott, who would direct from a script by Peter Landesman, adapted from an article by Jeanne Marie Laskas. In the plot, based on real events, the Nigerian coroner Dr. Bennett Omalu (Smith) faces the NFL, the national American football league in the United States, when he discovers serious brain damage resulting from the practice of sport in athletes. Due to scheduling problems, Scott stayed on as producer, "leaving" for the red planet to direct "The Martian (2015)", leaving the direction to Landesman, who debuted as a filmmaker in JFK: The Untold Story (2013). In his second job behind the camera, the novice director proves to be a good choice. He doesn't lower the crest for the NFL, making a hard-hitting film, even if it gets lost in the exaggerated boastfulness.
The starting point for the investigation is the death of former athlete and Pittsburgh Steelers idol "Iron" Mike Webster (David Morse), who showed signs of dementia, depression and seizures. The doctor in question, Dr. Bennet Omalu (Will Smith), is a Nigerian living in the United States, with a long list of graduations. In doing his research he receives the support of Dr. Cyril Wecht (Albert Brooks), his superior at the hospital where he works, of Dr. Julian Bailes (Alec Baldwin), former team doctor of the Pittsburgh Steelers and his partner Prema Mutiso (Gugu Mbatha-Raw). However, he suffers sanctions and threats from fans of the sport, as well as leaders and lawyers of the NFL, National Football League.
Something that the script apparently makes clear to the viewer is the passion of Americans for football. Several dialogues and images show the people's excitement and love for the game, such as young people who start playing it from childhood at home or at school, and statistical data on the impact on the population and on the government itself. This notion of the NFL's power helps contextualize us in the story and understand the kind of confrontation the main character has; and how difficult he becomes more and more as his studies reach the media and bother the big bosses of the sport. During the course of the film, we also get to know the doctor better as a person, a fundamental piece for us to connect with his fight. He is nothing more than an extremely studious and dedicated man to work, who does not let money and interests influence his attitudes. He discovers the connection between football and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a disease that caused dozens of former players to die in the future, and he does everything to make it visible and result in a solution on the part of the NFL. Omalu never wants to destroy the sport, he wants to find a way to prevent others from dying.
The best part of the production is the montage, the result of a mixture of real scenes, reports and interviews, and fictional scenes. At one point, when it came time to show the death of one of the players who suffered from ETC (a disease caused by concussions), a quick transition between archival footage of a police car and scenes from the film itself made everything more believable. It's the time when the production really suggests the problem to be discussed, but which often gets lost in Omalu's personal dilemmas. The photograph uses a cold palette, referring both to Omalu's work and to the obscurity of the subject. Another great highlight is the excellent make-up work, which transforms the well-known faces of the cast into those real characters. In the end, "Concussion" sounds like an incomplete pass. Despite conveying the message about the health problems that American football can cause, Lendesman lacks brilliance, who opts for several subplots instead of investing in a point of real importance - a point that is not Omalu's novel, for example, one of the film's many subplots. And finally, Will Smith's good performance is not enough to overcome the uneven script and direction without pulses evident in the feature.
The facts narrated in the film had already shaken the country when they came to light, brooding over the flaws and wounds of a national passion is always something very powerful and putting the man behind this whole story in the spotlight is at least necessary. Therefore, Concussion was born with the best intentions in the world, almost an edifying project to show a man who battles against everything and everyone, in addition to his own adversities (a black immigrant in a corporate war in the USA). And in fact, as a critique and social denouncement, it is a film that works very well, a feature that fulfills its function of informing and raising public awareness. It is true that precisely for this reason Concussion abuses didacticism, both in the form of dialogues and in the form of cinema, a film that does not provoke or even move the spectator through its direction. In this way, the film is conducted in a concise manner, in that old craftsmanship, in which the filmmaker's signature is left aside in order to convey in the most sober and simple way possible the facts and accusations from Dr. Omalu's point of view.
The big problem with "Concussion" is when the film leaves this informative core and tries to give a human perspective to its protagonist, revealing a problematic character construction. Bennet Omalu is almost portrayed as sent by God, an enlightened being, in the feature film by Peter Landesman (also scripted by him) his protagonist is built as if he were a perfect man, without any problems and flaws, he cannot be less human than that. It is also in this narrative sphere that the film demonstrates its greatest weaknesses, mainly because it has a poorly structured script, which is evident in the very poorly developed relationship between the protagonist and his future wife, and that in a few seconds two strangers become husband and wife. Woman without causing the viewer any empathy, as if the film was in a hurry to advance this core, thus losing any humanity that the production could have.
Even though it has a quality cast, Peter Lendesman's film fails to lead the viewer on the growing trajectory that the script suggests. From the discovery of the diseases caused to the final revelation, passing through the deaths and negotiations with the NFL, the feature is always in the middle of the road when trying to create some involvement. The romance of the main couple has no appeal, the friendship between the protagonist and Julian Bailes (Alec Baldwin) and even the enmity between Omalu and the big bosses of American football are not convincing. Each of these arcs is presented, but they develop in a dragging way and none of them reach an interesting climax.
It is undeniable that "Concussion" is made for Will Smith to shine. The main feeling is that all the director wants to show is Smith's talent, leaving the drama in the background. With each appearance of the protagonist, his scene seems to have been all set up to be the short presentation clip at awards. His dialogues and monologues are always grandiose, with a great dramatic load, as if each moment were the greatest performance of his career. Despite achieving, in part, its objective, the loser is the general context, and consequently the spectator. However, we are facing a complex topic, which deals with a true cultural symbol of that society, and which would have the power to shake the foundations of an immensely profitable industry. And all this ends up being in the background. And Will Smith is not an actor who needs this over-the-top attention. He has already shown a lot of talent and dramatic ability several times, as in the excellent "Ali" and "Looking for Happiness". And here again. He performs a great character build, adding small details such as the way he walks and the "conversation" with those who will undergo his autopsies. The accent, so commented on the internet, does not bother and even helps in the composition of the character, which is far from a good part of the actor's recent works. It's not the acting that makes the movie worth it or overcomes the script's irregularity, but it doesn't compromise any moment of the plot either.
The rest of the cast, even if they perform at the height of the star, have little to do due to the exaggerated prominence of their co-star. One of the caveats concerns the development of Prema (Gugu Mbatha-Raw). She is Omalu's wife, but her participation in the story was too restricted to just a partner who supports her husband. She did a lot more in reality and it was unnecessary to invent her abortion; the script apparently wanted to add more drama to the doctor's journey, but that's totally unnecessary. After all, there's already too much drama there and Gugu could have been used in another way, other than as a thoughtful woman who later loses a baby who never existed. Another distortion was that of Omalu's boss, Cyril Wecht (Albert Brooks). Their outcome was totally different from the real one, in every way. If on screen it seems that their professional and personal relationship speaks louder after the FBI accusations hit both, the truth was almost the opposite: the police only wanted Wecht and Omalu himself testified against him.
Based on real events, "Concussion" is not a bad film, although its script, linear and conventional, seems to have been molded to suit the heroic, very positive, and somewhat inoffensive aura that Smith almost always sought to attach to your star image. His performance is carefully planned to earn him awards, from the strong accent to the shy and rather self-absorbed posture of the character, which does not gain greater complexity because, the whole time, the film seems to scream: "Look how good Will Smith is!". Exaggerating the prideful issues, given that one of the protagonist's greatest desires is to be an American, but managing to put his finger on the wound regarding the issue of the harm that sport has on its athletes, the film delivers what it promises.
The starting point for the investigation is the death of former athlete and Pittsburgh Steelers idol "Iron" Mike Webster (David Morse), who showed signs of dementia, depression and seizures. The doctor in question, Dr. Bennet Omalu (Will Smith), is a Nigerian living in the United States, with a long list of graduations. In doing his research he receives the support of Dr. Cyril Wecht (Albert Brooks), his superior at the hospital where he works, of Dr. Julian Bailes (Alec Baldwin), former team doctor of the Pittsburgh Steelers and his partner Prema Mutiso (Gugu Mbatha-Raw). However, he suffers sanctions and threats from fans of the sport, as well as leaders and lawyers of the NFL, National Football League.
Something that the script apparently makes clear to the viewer is the passion of Americans for football. Several dialogues and images show the people's excitement and love for the game, such as young people who start playing it from childhood at home or at school, and statistical data on the impact on the population and on the government itself. This notion of the NFL's power helps contextualize us in the story and understand the kind of confrontation the main character has; and how difficult he becomes more and more as his studies reach the media and bother the big bosses of the sport. During the course of the film, we also get to know the doctor better as a person, a fundamental piece for us to connect with his fight. He is nothing more than an extremely studious and dedicated man to work, who does not let money and interests influence his attitudes. He discovers the connection between football and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a disease that caused dozens of former players to die in the future, and he does everything to make it visible and result in a solution on the part of the NFL. Omalu never wants to destroy the sport, he wants to find a way to prevent others from dying.
The best part of the production is the montage, the result of a mixture of real scenes, reports and interviews, and fictional scenes. At one point, when it came time to show the death of one of the players who suffered from ETC (a disease caused by concussions), a quick transition between archival footage of a police car and scenes from the film itself made everything more believable. It's the time when the production really suggests the problem to be discussed, but which often gets lost in Omalu's personal dilemmas. The photograph uses a cold palette, referring both to Omalu's work and to the obscurity of the subject. Another great highlight is the excellent make-up work, which transforms the well-known faces of the cast into those real characters. In the end, "Concussion" sounds like an incomplete pass. Despite conveying the message about the health problems that American football can cause, Lendesman lacks brilliance, who opts for several subplots instead of investing in a point of real importance - a point that is not Omalu's novel, for example, one of the film's many subplots. And finally, Will Smith's good performance is not enough to overcome the uneven script and direction without pulses evident in the feature.
The facts narrated in the film had already shaken the country when they came to light, brooding over the flaws and wounds of a national passion is always something very powerful and putting the man behind this whole story in the spotlight is at least necessary. Therefore, Concussion was born with the best intentions in the world, almost an edifying project to show a man who battles against everything and everyone, in addition to his own adversities (a black immigrant in a corporate war in the USA). And in fact, as a critique and social denouncement, it is a film that works very well, a feature that fulfills its function of informing and raising public awareness. It is true that precisely for this reason Concussion abuses didacticism, both in the form of dialogues and in the form of cinema, a film that does not provoke or even move the spectator through its direction. In this way, the film is conducted in a concise manner, in that old craftsmanship, in which the filmmaker's signature is left aside in order to convey in the most sober and simple way possible the facts and accusations from Dr. Omalu's point of view.
The big problem with "Concussion" is when the film leaves this informative core and tries to give a human perspective to its protagonist, revealing a problematic character construction. Bennet Omalu is almost portrayed as sent by God, an enlightened being, in the feature film by Peter Landesman (also scripted by him) his protagonist is built as if he were a perfect man, without any problems and flaws, he cannot be less human than that. It is also in this narrative sphere that the film demonstrates its greatest weaknesses, mainly because it has a poorly structured script, which is evident in the very poorly developed relationship between the protagonist and his future wife, and that in a few seconds two strangers become husband and wife. Woman without causing the viewer any empathy, as if the film was in a hurry to advance this core, thus losing any humanity that the production could have.
Even though it has a quality cast, Peter Lendesman's film fails to lead the viewer on the growing trajectory that the script suggests. From the discovery of the diseases caused to the final revelation, passing through the deaths and negotiations with the NFL, the feature is always in the middle of the road when trying to create some involvement. The romance of the main couple has no appeal, the friendship between the protagonist and Julian Bailes (Alec Baldwin) and even the enmity between Omalu and the big bosses of American football are not convincing. Each of these arcs is presented, but they develop in a dragging way and none of them reach an interesting climax.
It is undeniable that "Concussion" is made for Will Smith to shine. The main feeling is that all the director wants to show is Smith's talent, leaving the drama in the background. With each appearance of the protagonist, his scene seems to have been all set up to be the short presentation clip at awards. His dialogues and monologues are always grandiose, with a great dramatic load, as if each moment were the greatest performance of his career. Despite achieving, in part, its objective, the loser is the general context, and consequently the spectator. However, we are facing a complex topic, which deals with a true cultural symbol of that society, and which would have the power to shake the foundations of an immensely profitable industry. And all this ends up being in the background. And Will Smith is not an actor who needs this over-the-top attention. He has already shown a lot of talent and dramatic ability several times, as in the excellent "Ali" and "Looking for Happiness". And here again. He performs a great character build, adding small details such as the way he walks and the "conversation" with those who will undergo his autopsies. The accent, so commented on the internet, does not bother and even helps in the composition of the character, which is far from a good part of the actor's recent works. It's not the acting that makes the movie worth it or overcomes the script's irregularity, but it doesn't compromise any moment of the plot either.
The rest of the cast, even if they perform at the height of the star, have little to do due to the exaggerated prominence of their co-star. One of the caveats concerns the development of Prema (Gugu Mbatha-Raw). She is Omalu's wife, but her participation in the story was too restricted to just a partner who supports her husband. She did a lot more in reality and it was unnecessary to invent her abortion; the script apparently wanted to add more drama to the doctor's journey, but that's totally unnecessary. After all, there's already too much drama there and Gugu could have been used in another way, other than as a thoughtful woman who later loses a baby who never existed. Another distortion was that of Omalu's boss, Cyril Wecht (Albert Brooks). Their outcome was totally different from the real one, in every way. If on screen it seems that their professional and personal relationship speaks louder after the FBI accusations hit both, the truth was almost the opposite: the police only wanted Wecht and Omalu himself testified against him.
Based on real events, "Concussion" is not a bad film, although its script, linear and conventional, seems to have been molded to suit the heroic, very positive, and somewhat inoffensive aura that Smith almost always sought to attach to your star image. His performance is carefully planned to earn him awards, from the strong accent to the shy and rather self-absorbed posture of the character, which does not gain greater complexity because, the whole time, the film seems to scream: "Look how good Will Smith is!". Exaggerating the prideful issues, given that one of the protagonist's greatest desires is to be an American, but managing to put his finger on the wound regarding the issue of the harm that sport has on its athletes, the film delivers what it promises.
important but not that dramatic
SnoopyStyle31 July 2016
It's 2002. Dr. Bennet Omalu (Will Smith) is the junior forensic pathologist in Pittsburgh. During the weekend, beloved Pittsburgh Steelers center Mike Webster is found dead. Omalu is the low man and on call. Using his own money, he examines Webster's brain and discovers unexpected damage. With his boss Dr. Cyril Wecht (Albert Brooks) and others, he publishes a medical paper calling the disease Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). Webster's former team doctor Julian Bailes (Alec Baldwin) also gives his support as the group faces off against the might of the NFL.
It's an important story. It's an interesting story. Will Smith does the job well. It's simply lacks drama and the tension is not that high. It's a compelling watch for the most part. There are scenes suggesting the NFL coming after the doctors but they don't always say it directly. The punches are pulled a little and considering it's the NFL, I don't blame them. The retelling by Dr. Omalu of essentially the same story is slightly more intense. The movie adds very little drama to the true story.
It's an important story. It's an interesting story. Will Smith does the job well. It's simply lacks drama and the tension is not that high. It's a compelling watch for the most part. There are scenes suggesting the NFL coming after the doctors but they don't always say it directly. The punches are pulled a little and considering it's the NFL, I don't blame them. The retelling by Dr. Omalu of essentially the same story is slightly more intense. The movie adds very little drama to the true story.
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