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A period piece, screwball, football comedy directed by, and starring George Clooney sounds completely absurd right? Well, it is. If you are a fan of slapstick from the 1920s and do not mind a bit of ridiculous humor, then you will enjoy “Leatherheads.”
The film is set in the mid 1920s when professional football struggled to get its start and was widely regarded as a joke by sports fans. Aging pro player Jimmy “Dodge” Conelly (Clooney) sets out to change that sentiment in order to extend his waning football career. He enlists the star power of the most popular college football player and renowned war hero, Carter “The Bullet” Rutherford (John Krasinski) to play on his rag-tag team of average Joes.
His plans are thwarted by the ruthlessly ambitious news reporter, Lexi Littleton (Renée Zellweger), who is determined to thrive in a world ruled by men. Littleton plans on exposing the truth about The Bullet’s not so heroic deeds in the war. Along the way, Littleton ends up winning the affection of both Dodge and The Bullet as the film unfolds.
Overall, this is an extremely visually stimulating film. The shot composition and style in particular are no doubt inspired in part by Clooney’s observation on the set of the Cohen brothers’ “O Brother Where Art Thou.” The opening scene involving a cow and a football field is just one example of how Clooney has created comedy purely out of shot composition rather than script and dialogue.
Clooney’s witty charisma is on display in the character of Dodge who conveys an honest humor that is extremely likeable. Sadly, Clooney’s obvious directing talent and abundant charm just does not add up to a winning screenplay. While the chemistry between Clooney and Zellweger is undeniable and the filmmaking is well done, the script just did not support it. Their banter consists mostly of rapid fire punches to one another’s egos, but there is never a knock-out. At times the slapstick element of the film goes too far. In one scene Dodge and Lexi knock out a couple of cops while fleeing a speakeasy raid. They step through a doorway, close the door, then emerge moments later dressed in the copper’s clothing.
Unfortunately for Clooney, he has not taken this film’s genre into our century. Viewers that dislike or are unfamiliar with the genre will not really understand the film. In Clooney’s defense, the film is obviously attempting to revive the screwball comedies of the 1920s and 30s. Clooney is obviously well versed in classical Hollywood comedy and the film plays at times like a homage to the screwball comedy genre. The genius pairing of oddball antics and the start of professional football really serves to create a tone that audiences can dive into. The art direction should also be paid a compliment as the costume and set design are masterfully concocted. The material just did not support the effort and creativity that went into making the film.
If you go see “Leatherheads,” expect to smile a lot, giggle at times, but laugh out loud very little. Still it is worth seeing if you are at all familiar with early Hollywood cinema.
Rating: 4 out of 5 Denver Boones
