Any Given Sunday

[the spy]

Although I am not an Oliver Stone fan, I loved this story told from the sidelines of the professional football field. Al Pacino plays an aging coach trying to get the Florida Sharks into the playoffs and is faced with the world of corporate sports. As his quarterback suffers the aches and pains of years in pro sports, a third string "hot shot" comes into the game to save the day but is an independent operator. This is his lesson to learn. Cameron Diaz pulls off a great performance as an over-achieving, hard ass owner whose major goal is to make money and win at any cost.

The movie is overwhelmed a little by nonsensical flashbacks to times gone by. The movie really draws you in so that you hope for the hollywood ending where the team wins, everyone survives and lessons are learned.

Al Pacino delivers a great "win or die" speech at one of the most crucial moments that makes the film about a little more than just football and the credits come amidst a great final twist. A long, but worth it tale of sports today.

I bias this review with the fact that I am a huge pro-football fan and I am a girl so I have never had the fortune to be on the sidelines as part of a football team.

My recommendation is full price.

[cladmartin]

I disagree. I'm replying as a football fan as well. (Note to Buffalo fans: It was a lateral. Get over it.) Cameron Diaz gave her first poor performance. Oliver Stone needs take some directing lessons from his younger self and cool off the quick edits. It was interesting in Natural Born Killers (though I ended up hating the film), and has been overused by every music video director turned film director. Jamie Foxx as the new hotshot was very good and I always like Al Pacino. It'll be a good rental in six months. Instead, watch the NFL. With players like Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk, who needs fictional counterparts.