Concussion (2015) (English Language)

Review

123min

Genre:      Fact-based, Drama, Sport

Director:   Peter Landesman

Cast:        Will Smith, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Alec Baldwin…and more

Writers:    Peter Landesman and Jeanne Marie Laskas

-Synopsis-

Will Smith stars in a drama based on the real struggles of a brilliant immigrant forensic neuropathologist who discovered an American Football-related brain trauma disease and challenged an entire billion dollar sport and its hesitant governing body to change, with personal consequences for himself and those around him.

Given his superstar “king of the summer blockbuster” status, it’s often difficult for us to see a Will Smith role as much more than “The Fresh Prince” with a slightly different look and voice, and his use of a rather dubious and supposedly Nigerian accent in ‘Concussion’ doesn’t help matters to begin with.

Thankfully you will get over the initial stumbling block to accept Mr. Smith as the central character Dr. Bennet Omalu, a wonderfully over-qualified immigrant doctor whose principles and integrity challenged not only a national sport and global business, but also a major thread in modern American society which often holds communities together.

Former investigative journalist and now writer/director Peter Landesman is fast developing a reputation for journalistic “whistleblower” dramas like ‘Kill the Messenger’ and the upcoming “Watergate” drama ‘Felt’, and ‘Concussion’ has some of those elements with the exposure of a previously undetected trauma-related disease which devastates former players and which was covered up by the game’s governing body the NFL.

But the fascinating central story in ‘Concussion’ is easily overpowered by the human melodrama which in the end is the real heart of this film. Ultimately this a classic “only in America” immigrant story with an idealistic and thinly veiled patriotic streak which uses the story to gush about the core “American” values of bravery and integrity, personified by Dr. Bennet Omalu, in the battle for truth against the powerful and corrupt.

Given the fascinating subject matter and strong source material, this could have been a compelling “David vs. Goliath” anti-establishment drama. But thanks to an overly familiar sports drama narrative painted with safe and bland beige Hollywood strokes, ‘Concussion’ is not much more than an intriguing and moderately entertaining human drama.

The Bottom Line…

Despite being based on a quintessentially American true story about a remarkable man, even Will Smith’s charms and star power can’t help ‘Concussion’ soar above its familiar and uncompelling narrative. The result is an idealistic human melodrama that doesn’t do justice to its timely and significant context.

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