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"It's
a 'Given'"
by Scott Mantz
"Any Given Sunday"
Al Pacino, Cameron Diaz
Directed by Oliver Stone
When it comes
to controversy, nobody does it better than Oliver Stone. Just one
look at his body of work, and you can't help but be impressed by
the approach he's taken to American ideals. "Wall Street" scrutinized
the corporate "get rich quick" mentality that defined the 1980's.
"Natural Born Killers" made a powerful statement about the media's
effect on domestic violence and, in a deadly twist of fate, wound
up inspiring some violence of its own. The absurdity of conspiracy
theories surrounding President Kennedy's assassination reached new
heights (and new depths) with "JFK". Finally, "Platoon", "Born on
the Fourth of July", and "Heaven and Earth", depicted the gruesome
realities of the Vietnam War on the boys who were there, their families
back home, and the lost souls who were left behind to make sense
of the whole thing.
That leaves
just one stone (sorry, I couldn't resist!) unturned. You guessed
it--football. After the pessimistic, sardonic, and even outrageous
viewpoints of many of his previous films, one would think Stone's
approach to this American institution would be more of the same.
Well, think again. While "Any Given Sunday" does paint a gritty
picture of the business behind the game, it is first and foremost
a loving tribute to America's greatest pastime (next to baseball).
This fever-pitched, adrenaline-fueled, testosterone-drenched thrill
ride is easily Stone's most enjoyable film in years. With its supersonic
pace, high intensity, and incredible performances, Oliver Stone
scores a touchdown. If you're a football fan, this one's for you.
If you're not, you will be after this!
The Miami Sharks
are not having a good season. After inheriting the team from her
deceased father, aggressive power-player Christina Pagniacci (Cameron
Diaz) has only one thing on her mind--the bottom line. She's tired
of losing, and now she'll do whatever it takes to win. That's a
problem for aging head coach Tony D'Amato (Al Pacino), who believes
that there is more to the game than just winning. He's given up
everything for the game, including his wife and children, and now
he's faced with his own mortality on the field. If that's not enough,
new star quarterback Willie Beamen (Jamie Foxx) develops an ego
so destructive that it threatens to tear the team apart. D'Amato
has to deal with the politics of the business, dissension among
the ranks, and, oh, he's still got a game to win!
I can't remember
the last time 2 hours and 42 minutes went by so fast. The hyper-kinetic
style of Stone's recent work, especially "Natural Born Killers",
fits this type of film perfectly. You're down on the field with
the players, sharing their banter, feeling their frustrations, and
gleaming in their victory. You feel the rush as they get closer
to end zone, and you feel the pain when they come crashing down
to the ground with a deafening force. You can't help but watch these
scenes and think, "that's gotta hurt!".
Between the
women, the drugs, and the sponsorships, Stone looks at the game
in all its corrupt glory. However, in the end, it's all about teamwork.
In some ways, the camaraderie between the players in "Sunday" has
a lot in common with the brotherhood among the soldiers in "Platoon".
They both adopt the "us against them" and "take no prisoners" approach,
which fuels them to carry on play after bone-crushing play. As we
see in both films, these ramifications can backfire and threaten
to tear their own team apart.
Al Pacino is
perfectly cast as a football coach in the twilight of his career.
His over-the top persona has become legendary, but it fits this
role like a glove. When he's on the field, he's alive and in control.
The minute he steps off, he's deflated with the prospect of how
lonely and obsolete he's become. We feel his desperation as he strives
to hang on and keep his team together. In a scene that echoes "The
Godfather Part II", a defeated Pacino even turns to the widow of
the Sharks' former owner (played by Ann-Margaret) for advice.
This is without
a doubt the strongest performance of Cameron Diaz's career. She
was able to prove herself in the comedy field with "There's Something
About Mary", but that's nothing compared to the insensitive bottom-liner
she plays here. She's clearly out of her league, and the fact that
she's a woman makes it even more difficult for her to be taken seriously.
Like Pacino, she's desperate to hang on, and she refuses to admit
that she's not in complete control. Instead of being upstaged by
Pacino's larger-than-life performance, she does a brilliant job
of staying on his level.
That's just
the tip of the iceberg on what is otherwise a stellar cast. Jamie
Foxx is magnetic as the wet-behind-the-ears quarterback who lets
fame get the best of him. He learns the hard way that it's not always
a good idea to forget those who helped you get to the big time in
the first place. By contrast, LL Cool J is more focused on the game
than the fame, and he has zero tolerance for Foxx's childish behavior.
Dennis Quaid is the aging quarterback who knows the game is over,
but refuses to accept it. His only consolation is in Pacino, who
is also afraid to accept the obvious. They need each other, and
they're all they've got.
In the end,
it's all about change. You either adapt, or you end up dead. Instead
of putting his usual paranoid spin things on things, we get something
completely different from Oliver Stone--a happy ending. I guess
even a complex visionary like Stone can have a soft spot. But don't
worry. I wouldn't take this as any indication that the controversial
director is mellowing out. If anything, he's at the top of his game.
In his own weird way, he delivers a marvelous piece of work that
can be viewed on any given day of the week, all year long.
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