Page 19 - Go Guide Street 12/3/2015
P. 19
MOVIES
HEAD-ON never a conversation
about the concussion
issue,” Smith said.
COLLISION In early September,
‘Concussion’ starring Will Smith Landesman and Sony found
tackles NFL players’ brain injuries themselves on the defensive
when an article in The New
By Josh Rottenberg players who accused the ALLEN J. SCHABEN/TRIBUNE NEWSPAPERS York Times, citing emails THE MORNING CALL THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015
league of hiding what it leaked in last year’s cyber-
Tribune Newspapers knew about the dangers of “There are a lot of people on the wrong side of history on this issue,” Peter Landesman attack on Sony, alleged that
concussions; under terms said about the problem of head injuries in the sport of football. alterations had been made
Peter Landesman knows of the deal, the NFL made to “Concussion” to avoid
what it’s like to get knocked no admission of guilt. MELINDA SUE GORDON/COLUMBIA PICTURES platform. Having grown antagonizing the NFL.
in the head so hard you see up in Nigeria, the sixth of
stars. Before he was an Part medical-mystery Will Smith plays Dr. Bennet Omalu, who first identified CTE seven children, he became Internal studio emails
investigative journalist and thriller, part whistleblower in the brain of NFL player Mike Webster in 2005. enamored with America were quoted suggesting that
a filmmaker, Landesman drama and part inspira- thanks in part to its mov- “unflattering moments for
played high school and tional immigrant’s story, an intersecting tangent,” ‘You guys are crazy; no- ies and knew well the the N.F.L.” had been cut or
college football as a center “Concussion” chronicles Landesman said. “It’s body is going to want to effect they could have. changed, and that Sony’s
and a linebacker. Play after the Nigerian-born Omalu’s going to be really inter- touch this,’ ” said produc- lawyers had taken “most of
play, he found himself on discovery of CTE during an esting to watch.” er Giannina Scott, who “Americans trust and the bite” out of the film.
the front line of the game’s autopsy of Pittsburgh Steel- helped get the project off admire Hollywood, so I
most violent moments. And ers center Mike Webster Considering the NFL’s the ground with husband thought Hollywood would Landesman remains
he loved it. (David Morse) and his and co-producer Ridley be a better servant of the adamant that the film was
efforts to spread the word deep ties to the enter- Scott. truth,” Omalu said. “I took not watered down in any
“How many times did I of football’s dangers in the tainment industry, the my story to Hollywood way, saying that though he
get my bell rung?” Landes- face of strong pushback mere fact that “Concus- It was Omalu himself and signed over my life considered meeting with
man said. “All the time, from the NFL, which tries sion” exists at all — let who first approached the rights without a penny.” the NFL, he ultimately
every day. It was almost a to discredit him and sup- alone with a major studio, film industry with his made the picture without
badge of honor to get your press his findings. “Con- Sony Pictures, behind it — story, using a 2009 story Smith was seen as the the league’s involvement.
bell rung and get back in cussion” portrays Omalu as is something of a surprise. in GQ magazine by Jeanne ideal actor to play Omalu,
the game and tough it out.” the David to the NFL’s Goli- Marie Laskas, on which but getting him on board “My instinct is to be fair
ath, depicting the league as “Everyone we talked to “Concussion” is based, as a proved its own challenge. and balanced,” he said. “In
As the writer/director of a shadowy multibillion- at the beginning was like, Smith felt torn about my own brain, I was like,
“Concussion,” Landesman, dollar enterprise that puts taking on a project that ‘I’m going to sit down
50, is girding himself for its own financial interests would shed a disturbing with (NFL Commis-
some hits of a different above the players’ welfare. light on a sport he loved. sioner) Roger Goodell and
kind. The film takes on the all those guys and get
hot-button issue of brain “This movie really “I’ve been a football fan those stories.’ Then I was
injuries in the NFL, an throws the gauntlet all my life. My son (Trey) like, ‘But what story am I
issue many see as posing an down,” Landesman said. played football, he said.” telling?’ Why do that
existential threat to one of “There are a lot of people when the better story, the
America’s most beloved on the wrong side of his- However, after meeting more truthful and more
pastimes and one of the tory on this issue.” Omalu and hearing his life revelatory story, is the
most powerful institutions story, Smith was per- story of Bennet Omalu?”
in the sports world. Early reviews have been suaded to take the role.
somewhat divided, but with It remains to be seen
Opening Dec. 25 during the drawing power of one of “While my son was how the NFL will re-
the heart of awards season the biggest box-office stars playing football, there was spond. Asked in September
and football season, “Con- and an important, ripped- to comment on “Concus-
cussion” stars Will Smith from-the-headlines story, sion,” the league told The
as Dr. Bennet Omalu, the the film, which cost $35 New York Times in a state-
forensic pathologist who million to produce, is ex- ment, in part, “We are en-
identified and reported pected to have wide com- couraged by the ongoing
the first case of chronic mercial appeal. focus on the critical issue of
traumatic encephalopathy player health and safety.”
in a pro football player in However critics and And in recent years, the
2005. Linked to repetitive moviegoers respond to the NFL has introduced rules
blows to the head, the dis- film, it’s safe to say it is and procedures aimed at
ease can lead to dementia, unlikely to be warmly re- protecting players.
aggression and depression ceived in the NFL’s corpo-
and has been diagnosed rate offices. “God did not The reality is, no matter
postmortem in dozens of intend for us to play foot- how much negative atten-
former NFL players. ball,” Smith, as the reli- tion the NFL receives,
giously devout Omalu, says ratings only seem to grow.
In April, a federal judge flatly at one point. This year’s Super Bowl
approved a potential $1 drew a record-setting 114.4
billion settlement in a “Football is a jugger- million viewers.
class-action lawsuit naut that is only getting
brought against the NFL bigger, and there’s a silver The team behind “Con-
by thousands of former bullet that’s traveling on cussion” says the film isn’t
aimed at taking down foot-
ball — even Omalu says
he’s “not anti-football” —
but simply at heightening
awareness of its dangers. 19
josh.rottenberg@tribpub.com
HEAD-ON never a conversation
about the concussion
issue,” Smith said.
COLLISION In early September,
‘Concussion’ starring Will Smith Landesman and Sony found
tackles NFL players’ brain injuries themselves on the defensive
when an article in The New
By Josh Rottenberg players who accused the ALLEN J. SCHABEN/TRIBUNE NEWSPAPERS York Times, citing emails THE MORNING CALL THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015
league of hiding what it leaked in last year’s cyber-
Tribune Newspapers knew about the dangers of “There are a lot of people on the wrong side of history on this issue,” Peter Landesman attack on Sony, alleged that
concussions; under terms said about the problem of head injuries in the sport of football. alterations had been made
Peter Landesman knows of the deal, the NFL made to “Concussion” to avoid
what it’s like to get knocked no admission of guilt. MELINDA SUE GORDON/COLUMBIA PICTURES platform. Having grown antagonizing the NFL.
in the head so hard you see up in Nigeria, the sixth of
stars. Before he was an Part medical-mystery Will Smith plays Dr. Bennet Omalu, who first identified CTE seven children, he became Internal studio emails
investigative journalist and thriller, part whistleblower in the brain of NFL player Mike Webster in 2005. enamored with America were quoted suggesting that
a filmmaker, Landesman drama and part inspira- thanks in part to its mov- “unflattering moments for
played high school and tional immigrant’s story, an intersecting tangent,” ‘You guys are crazy; no- ies and knew well the the N.F.L.” had been cut or
college football as a center “Concussion” chronicles Landesman said. “It’s body is going to want to effect they could have. changed, and that Sony’s
and a linebacker. Play after the Nigerian-born Omalu’s going to be really inter- touch this,’ ” said produc- lawyers had taken “most of
play, he found himself on discovery of CTE during an esting to watch.” er Giannina Scott, who “Americans trust and the bite” out of the film.
the front line of the game’s autopsy of Pittsburgh Steel- helped get the project off admire Hollywood, so I
most violent moments. And ers center Mike Webster Considering the NFL’s the ground with husband thought Hollywood would Landesman remains
he loved it. (David Morse) and his and co-producer Ridley be a better servant of the adamant that the film was
efforts to spread the word deep ties to the enter- Scott. truth,” Omalu said. “I took not watered down in any
“How many times did I of football’s dangers in the tainment industry, the my story to Hollywood way, saying that though he
get my bell rung?” Landes- face of strong pushback mere fact that “Concus- It was Omalu himself and signed over my life considered meeting with
man said. “All the time, from the NFL, which tries sion” exists at all — let who first approached the rights without a penny.” the NFL, he ultimately
every day. It was almost a to discredit him and sup- alone with a major studio, film industry with his made the picture without
badge of honor to get your press his findings. “Con- Sony Pictures, behind it — story, using a 2009 story Smith was seen as the the league’s involvement.
bell rung and get back in cussion” portrays Omalu as is something of a surprise. in GQ magazine by Jeanne ideal actor to play Omalu,
the game and tough it out.” the David to the NFL’s Goli- Marie Laskas, on which but getting him on board “My instinct is to be fair
ath, depicting the league as “Everyone we talked to “Concussion” is based, as a proved its own challenge. and balanced,” he said. “In
As the writer/director of a shadowy multibillion- at the beginning was like, Smith felt torn about my own brain, I was like,
“Concussion,” Landesman, dollar enterprise that puts taking on a project that ‘I’m going to sit down
50, is girding himself for its own financial interests would shed a disturbing with (NFL Commis-
some hits of a different above the players’ welfare. light on a sport he loved. sioner) Roger Goodell and
kind. The film takes on the all those guys and get
hot-button issue of brain “This movie really “I’ve been a football fan those stories.’ Then I was
injuries in the NFL, an throws the gauntlet all my life. My son (Trey) like, ‘But what story am I
issue many see as posing an down,” Landesman said. played football, he said.” telling?’ Why do that
existential threat to one of “There are a lot of people when the better story, the
America’s most beloved on the wrong side of his- However, after meeting more truthful and more
pastimes and one of the tory on this issue.” Omalu and hearing his life revelatory story, is the
most powerful institutions story, Smith was per- story of Bennet Omalu?”
in the sports world. Early reviews have been suaded to take the role.
somewhat divided, but with It remains to be seen
Opening Dec. 25 during the drawing power of one of “While my son was how the NFL will re-
the heart of awards season the biggest box-office stars playing football, there was spond. Asked in September
and football season, “Con- and an important, ripped- to comment on “Concus-
cussion” stars Will Smith from-the-headlines story, sion,” the league told The
as Dr. Bennet Omalu, the the film, which cost $35 New York Times in a state-
forensic pathologist who million to produce, is ex- ment, in part, “We are en-
identified and reported pected to have wide com- couraged by the ongoing
the first case of chronic mercial appeal. focus on the critical issue of
traumatic encephalopathy player health and safety.”
in a pro football player in However critics and And in recent years, the
2005. Linked to repetitive moviegoers respond to the NFL has introduced rules
blows to the head, the dis- film, it’s safe to say it is and procedures aimed at
ease can lead to dementia, unlikely to be warmly re- protecting players.
aggression and depression ceived in the NFL’s corpo-
and has been diagnosed rate offices. “God did not The reality is, no matter
postmortem in dozens of intend for us to play foot- how much negative atten-
former NFL players. ball,” Smith, as the reli- tion the NFL receives,
giously devout Omalu, says ratings only seem to grow.
In April, a federal judge flatly at one point. This year’s Super Bowl
approved a potential $1 drew a record-setting 114.4
billion settlement in a “Football is a jugger- million viewers.
class-action lawsuit naut that is only getting
brought against the NFL bigger, and there’s a silver The team behind “Con-
by thousands of former bullet that’s traveling on cussion” says the film isn’t
aimed at taking down foot-
ball — even Omalu says
he’s “not anti-football” —
but simply at heightening
awareness of its dangers. 19
josh.rottenberg@tribpub.com
