Film Review: Any Given Sunday (1999)

In first decades of 21st Century some specifically American sports, most notably American fooball, began to gain popularity outside US borders. Hollywood played important part in it by making sports films that made American football more exciting, violent, dramatic experience than those of an average soccer fan. One of such films was Any Given Sunday, 1999 drama directed by Oliver Stone, which made American football look “cool” despite the script actually being quite critical towards certain aspects of the sport.

The plot deals with Miami Sharks, once great (fictional) team that now struggles in Affiliated Football Franchises of America. Its head coach Tony D’Amato (played by Al Pacino) has through last thirty years built reputation of one of the greatest and the most respected experts in the field. His great flaw is adherence to traditional values – he appreciates team more than individuals and loyalty over efficiency. Because of that he keeps 39-year old Jack “Cap” Rooney (played by Dennis Quaid) as the team’s starting quarterback despite his old age and series of injuries. This doesn’t sit well with Christina Pagniacci (played by Cameron Diaz), young woman who inherited the team from her traditionalist father and who sees his team strictly as a business venture and tries to rejuvenate the team with young, attractive and potentially lucrative players. One of the is Willie Beaman (played by Jamie Foxx), who replaced Cap because of injury and suddenly established himself as immensely talented new star. D’Amato, on the other hand, isn’t happy with him, not only because of loyalty to Cap, but also because initially shy rookie quickly transforms into arrogant and undisciplined primadonna. As play offs are getting nearer, conflicts within and outside locker room escalate.

Subject of Any Given Sunday wasn’t as personal for Oliver Stone as those that dealt with Vietnam War and its aftermath. Script he co-wrote with John Logan (together with number of officially uncredited collaborators), on the other hand, provided some opportunity for Stone to send another powerful critique against negative aspects of American society, in this case, professional sports which is rife with greed, corruption and bad treatment of athletes. Stone didn’t take much of that opportunity. Instead Any Given Sunday seems at times as rather simplistic sermon against ultra-commercialisation of something that should be national institution and embodiment of all the best aspects of national character. However, in doing so, Stone is fortunate of having very good cast at his disposal, ranging from veterans like Pacino to newcomers like Foxx, who would soon become a big star. Cast includes even actors who make great impression in small roles, like James Woods in the role of team physician who has learned to look the other way when addicted players ask for banned pain-killing and performance-enhancing substances.

Stone’s direction, which is based on MTV-era aesthetics and relies on four different editors, on the other hand, makes some of the plot confusing, at least when the action takes place on the field. For viewers to truly enjoy Any Given Sunday, they would have to gain at least some level of familiarity with American football. Those who understand some of the nuances of the sport would probably enjoy its semi-ironic ending, during which protagonist becomes part of the same establishment he has rallied against. As such, Any Given Sunday represents well-acted sports drama that could be recommended despite some flaws.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

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