The Observer, April 4, 2008
Volume XL, Issue 23
George Clooney offers up quality fare with Leatherheads, albeit slightly overdone
George Clooney makes it look so easy. Nephew of classic movie star/singer Rosemary Clooney, George has long exemplified the quintessential cool guy, playing the part of American movie icon with stunning good looks, mega acting talent, and an inspiring résumé of humanitarian work. With such success and honor, it's hard to find fault with Clooney, especially with the ticklish premise behind his new film Leatherheads, a wacky, throwback romantic comedy that takes quite a few liberties with the history of professional American football.
Set in the 1920s, the story revolves around Dodge Connelly (Clooney), a handsome, charming, suave football stud who is bent on getting people to pack the stadiums to watch his beloved Deluth Bulldogs. The only problem is that he and his ragtag team cheats their way through games, pushing their sponsors to withdraw and hence putting the newly-formed professional football league in jeopardy. Besides, people seem to be more interested in college football, particularly war hero Carter Rutherford (The Office's John Krasinski, perhaps better known as Jim Halpert) and his Princeton Tigers. Dodge decides to seek out Carter and persuade him to join the team, only to run into Lexi Littleton, a fiery but not-so-young reporter for The Chicago Tribune who sees holes in Carter's war story and is determined to expose him. It's hardly neccessary to mention that Littleton, a role that Bridget Jones' Diary star Renee Zellweger hits spot on, is a witty, gorgeous bombshell, leaving both Rutherford and Connelly smitten.
The first thing to notice about Leatherheads is the art direction put into it, as viewers are blinded with a bright visual display. When characters wear sharp colors, such as the deep red that Lexi Littleton consistently dons throughout, the screen seems all the more richer for it. In this regard, Clooney does a terrific job, flawlessly mixing the colors and special effects available to him in the 21st century while retaining the old-school flavor representative of his material. Viewers will be giddy everytime Dodge Connelly and Lexi Littleton come on screen, as the two trade sly banter off each other, along with an intoxicating chemistry. There are some genuinely funny moments in the film, particularly in the initial meeting between Dodge and Lexi, as well as a raucous encounter between all three main characters that ends with a goofy fistfight between Connelly and Rutherford.
However, Leatherheads gives you the feeling that it is trying a bit too hard. There are some scenes where the dialogue and the jokes are forced, eliciting nervous laughter and even crickets from the audience. It especially trips up near the end, as montages stretch too long and symbolic messages are hammered in way too obviously. If Leatherheads really wanted to be a screwball comedy, there really shouldn't have been so much of a focus on the implementation of "rules" and the "change" facing Dodge Connelly and the Deluth Bulldogs. The plot and the acting could have carried the film quite well.
Leatherheads is a fun film, but it isn't as good as Clooney probably wanted it to be. With some work, Clooney could become an upper echelon director, no matter what genre he chooses. Even if this film isn't Clooney at his flawless best, it still is a quality film and significantly better than most of what is coming out of Hollywood today. It is most definitely worth a trip to the theater.
