DVD Review: 'Leatherheads'

Published: October 3, 2008

The game plan for "Leatherheads” looks great, but the execution fumbles.

George Clooney stars as Dodge Connelly, an aging pro football player in the 1920s. Looking for a way to keep his team viable, he seeks out college football star Carter "The Bullet” Rutherford (John Krasinski). Meanwhile, reporter Lexie Littleton (Renee Zellweger) seeks the truth about Carter’s war record, in which he was hailed as a hero.

This screwball comedy should be quick and likable but doesn’t quite manage either. The script, from Sports Illustrated scribes Duncan Brantley and Rick Reilly, isn’t as funny as it thinks it is, and Clooney makes his first missteps as a director. The love triangle between the three characters never feels authentic, and while the history is interesting (Carter’s character was based on football star Red Grange), it’s not enough to overcome the general tedium of the film.

There are a few bits to enjoy — costuming and production design, especially. But overall, "Leatherheads” is too predictable and doesn’t make up for its deficiencies with charm, despite a talented cast.

Extras: Two making-of featurettes, a look at the film’s visual effects, deleted scenes and a commentary from Clooney.

— Matthew Price

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