Customer Reviews

Any Given Sunday

5 star:		(81)
4 star:		(46)
3 star:		(45)
2 star:		(28)
1 star:		(27)

 

 

Are you suffering from the annual bout of post-Super Bowl depression (PSBD)? Is this Sunday, the first since the end of the NFL season, leaving you feeling lost, already looking ahead to September so you can resume watching a collection of pumped-up, tattoed freaks of nature perform astounding feats of physical prowess? Are you terrified at the thought of having to spend Sundays reading, going outside, or spending quality time with loved ones? Well, if you are, you could do a lot worse than to postpone the onset of PSBD by reclining in your favorite easy chair and watching Any Given Sunday.

Any Given Sunday has a lot to recommend it. It's got a sweet Hollywood budget, a cast loaded to the brim with talent (and no sign of Keanu Reeves, thankfully; I'm still having nightmares from the time I watched the Replacements), and the direction of the one and only Oliver Stone. In following the turbulent last quarter of a season in the life of the (fictional) Miami Sharks of the (fictional) AFFA, the movie combines an operatic scope with an almost fanatical attention to detail and loads of heavy philosophy for a film whose best moments (whether on the field or not) are as hard-hitting as anything you'll see in a real game. Sure, the movie trots out an endless series of hackneyed plot devices and stock characters, but Stone manages to breathe life into all of them.

A no-holds-barred if sensationalistic examination of professional football both on and off the field, Any Given Sunday is both believable and completely ridiculous at the same time, a monument to excess that is in itself wildly excessive. It starts punishing your senses right away, with two quarterbacks suffering catastrophic injuries and a third throwing up before taking his first snap, and it doesn't relax much from there on out, either in its torrid pace or in its commitment to full sensory assault. Indeed, this may be the fastest two-and-a-half-hour movie ever made. Like an all-out blitz up the middle, it comes at you relentlessly, and also like an all-out blitz, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. At times it seems as though Stone just tried to take the themes and conflicts that made Platoon such an artistic triumph and graft them onto a football movie. The movie goes for an outsized, epic feel at almost all times, with varying degrees of success.

At turns frenetic and painfully slow, Stone's camerawork makes for perhaps the best cinematic representation yet of the intensity and ferocity of pro football, and the movie's grasp of the game's strategical minutiae is a sign of a director who's done his homework. Regrettably, Stone's emphasis on brutal hits and flashy shots also takes something away from the inherent sophistication of the pro game, making it look like little more than the product of excessive testosterone levels. Of course, what happens on the field is only part of the story, as Stone makes sure to present the viewer with look at all the sordid goings-on that occur behind the scenes. It's here that the movie really throws everything but the kitchen sink at you, politely ensuring that boredom doesn't set in between game scenes. You've got fights; rampant substance abuse; players fornicating left and right; a mammoth SUV getting sawed in half; scads of gratuitous nudity; guys playing when they shouldn't even be trying to walk and chew gum and the same time; and lots of hot women acting extremely catty. And that's just a short list.

Alright, I've somehow managed to fill up four paragraphs with this review, so it's time to cut things off here. At any rate, while certainly not without its flaws, Any Given Sunday is one immensely enjoyable movie, especially for the football nut. So check it out if you haven't already.

This was truly an excellent film. This movie is Oliver Stone's best since Platoon. The fast-moving and dizzying cinemaphotography fits the high adrenaline atmosphere of the professional football world well. The film is also perfectly cast. Pacino gives life to the head coach, and Cameron Diaz's clearly most intense role as the team's owner is believeable. James Woods gives an excellent performance as the team doctor, who doesn't really seem to care about anyone but himself. Jamie Foxx has a breakthrough dramatic role as the new hotshot quarterback, whose ritualistic vomiting adds humor to the movie. With his performance, we find out Foxx really can act. LL Cool J, also puts through a convincing performance as the team's running back. Dennis Quaid doesn't really do much as the former QB with injury problems except help to develop Pacino's character. An outstanding cast, that features Charlton Heston as the football comissioner, and Ann-Margaret as Cameron Diaz's alcoholic mother. Former pro football players Jim Brown and Lawrence Taylor pop up as members of the team. I recommend it highly. This is possibly the best sports movie ever made.

When this movie first came out to its slate of tepid reviews, I decided not to go see it. When the DVD came out, I decided not to buy it. When I recently received the DVD as a gift, I was surprised to find that I honestly couldn't wait to watch it. Admittedly, I have always found Oliver Stone's films to be entertaining. I am also a life-long Cowboys fan. And, truth be known, I was curious to see what Stone thought about the state of professional football, albeit via his mythical Miami Sharks. The best thing that I ever did was to quit reading reviews, and sat down with a bowl of popcorn to give this film its shot.

The verdict is that I really liked this film. Call it a guilty pleasure if you must, but I really enjoyed this movie. The screenplay is structured around some interesting and engaging characters, providing good insights into their individual experiences with the team. The cast is first rate and there are plenty of good performances. From the owner's box, to the training room, at home with the wife and kids, and off the field with all of its complications, this movie does a memorable job of showing all sides of the world of professional football. I even liked the movie soundtrack with its catchy tunes. No offense to the other reviewers, but Heston is perfect as the power-mongering league commissioner. James Woods is great as the veteran team physician who has seen too much. Jim Brown and LT give accurate and believable performances in their respective roles. I also found the parallels between the film's plot line and the present day soap opera going on with my beloved Cowboys to be kind of spooky. True, there are times when the plot to this movie looks a little too cliché. I find it to be a point to the film's level of authenticity, however, that the current highest paid player in the NFL is perhaps living out an eerily similar experience with his family, doctors, coaches and owner.

This movie is not a classic but there is a lot about it that holds up in repeated viewings. The dog-eat-dog world of the professional athletics is portrayed in some admittedly predictable scenes, but there are some nice surprises as well. The ending to this movie is, for me, its truest moment. I think that the best thing about this movie is that while it deals competently with the intensity and pathos of professional football, it never forgets to keep its sense of humor. If you can do the same thing, my guess is that you will really enjoy this movie. There is a lot more about it that works than most of these reviews would lead you to believe.

Any Given Sunday is Oliver Stone's expose of football, and more importantly the lives of the men that experience it. This hard hitting drama runs at almost 3 hours, and not a minute is wasted. The cast is all-star and cast perfectly. This movie proved to me that Lawrence Taylor can act, as he has the most powerful scene in the movie in the shower room. The Any Given Sunday DVD is very simple for such a great movie. The only extras are a documentary, a trailer, and a music video. There is also some extra footage thrown in. Although lacking features, sound makes up for the lack of extras. If you got a nice sound system, you will feel like you're right in the game, with every hit and crunch. If you are a DVD sound-junkie, then this one is for you.

Just purchased the Blu Ray version - definitely not worth it. While this is clearly a phenomenal movie (see original review below), the Blu Ray just doesn't offer enough improvement over the original to justify. Overall, its marginally cleaner, but the original DVD is pretty high quality anyway.

This is a very entertaining movie on several different fronts. First, its about football, but this isn't your typical varsity blues like soppy dramatic silly-ness. This makes you feel like you're on the field with hard hitting, loud professional football. Oliver Stone lends his directorial prowess to turn an otherwise massively overdone genre into an outstanding movie. The camera work is incredible, and the editing is very well done. And the characters are larger than life, in a way that is believably realistic. In particular, Jamie Foxx's evolution from a timid and shy bench warmer to prima donna star is very well done, and is a particularly effective acting performance on his part. I tend to this of this movie as an important evolutionary role bridging him from his Booty Call days to his to come oscar-worthy performances.

I generally like Oliver Stone's films, but this was an exception. A loud, dumb, blunderbuss of a movie, it has some decent performances, but a by-the-numbers script. Why does the climax of every sports movie have to come down to the last few seconds/last out/last hole/last whatever? It's the nature of the beast, but it sure does make for predictability. And the tie-it-all-up ending could have come from a 30s Warner Brothers sports biography.

Something that was even more annoying than the seen-it-before plot was the sound mix. Stone seemed to be so enamored of his soundtrack music and ambient noise that he let it ride right over much of the dialogue. I finally turned on the English subtitles, and learned that I hadn't been missing much.

Rabid football fans might enjoy this melodramatic look behind the scenes, but others should give it a pass.

You can always count on Oliver Stone to have something interesting to say. In "Any Given Sunday", he focuses his lens on the world of pro football and treats us to a dizzying vision of million dollar egos, cortisone shots, and concussions.

The story centers on Tony D'Amato (Al Pacino), a battle weary coach whose old school mentality is behind the times. Pacino is at his best as a mess of a drunk, his sunken expression hanging off his face from the weight of his burden throughout. When his starting quarterback gets hurt (Quaid), Pacino looks to Willy Beaman, played by a surprisingly good Jaime Foxx. Foxx is the future of football, a cocky gunslinger who has speed to burn (Stone foresaw the new NFL QB: McNabb, Vick). At the movie's center is the conflict between old vs. new, the player vs. the team, and the cutthroat deals made behind the scenes.

This is a film about excess. From the all-star cast (Pacino, Foxx, Diaz, Quaid, Woods, LL Cool J, Margaret, Lancaster, L.T. and Jim Brown), to its indulgent criss-cut editing (brilliant during game scenes, excessive in others), to its run time (two and a half plus hours), this modern day gladiator movie balloons with bigness.

Kinetic and stylized, the film suffers from a familiar story and characters that are simply too unsympathetic to root for. And by the movie's end, redemption comes all too neatly during the final game (In mythic fashion, the team visits the dragon's lair to battle the Dallas "Knights."). If you're a fan of Oliver Stone or a fan of football, "Any Given Sunday" is worth a look. But at more than two and a half hours, you may find better things to do with your time- like watching a real game.

First off, I want to let you know that I love football and movies, but am not an expert on either subject, just to let you know what kind of person this review is coming from.

Yes, the movie is 157 minutes long, but let me tell you, it's never boring. I disagree with many here in that I liked that visuals and film style that Oliver Stone used. I loved the little things he puts in a scene, especially the final play: when Beamen is looking into the endzone and you see lightning and an old player diving into the endzone, things like that. Of course, the performances are incredible, and it's a huge cast. Look for special cameos from NFL players and coaches, and of course Charlton Heston as the Commissioner.

I also like how the film starts out with a game, getting you into the action quickly. And then of course there's the length of the games. It's not just a two minute highlight, well except for the Monsoon Bowl. The first game last 20 minutes and the last is somewhere between 30 and 40. The pregame and halftime speeches are well written too.

In all, it has your basic, not too groundbreaking script, but a great cast, great visuals and sound, and exciting football sequences (the best I've ever seen). I recommend this one!

Oliver Stone once again manages to put together an insightful masterpiece and despite American football as its main feature, this film is intensely entertaining and with a hot hip hop/rap/r&B soundtrack along with an impressive A list cast, Any Given Sunday can't go wrong. Al Pacino as the coach is godd, as he always is, but I found the real stars to be Jamie Foxx and the always goregeous Cameron Diaz. Foxx who usually is the comic relief, played it straight and gives in an oscar-worthy performance as Willy Beamen, the team's key player after favourite Dennis Quaid is injured. Although occasionally his character is a bastard, he serves up an hilarious music video, an intense performance and clearly has no problem getting his gear off, Foxx is bound to go places. Diaz was another key player in this flick, playing a tough as nails, take-no-crap owner of Pacino's team, and although usually sweet, the long smile is barely seen as she plays it straight and gets through to the cast and audiences, she is someone you don't want to mess with. Besides Pacino, Foxx, Diaz and Quaid (whose barely seen), the cast is rounded off with James Woods (another top star in a barely seen role), Lauren Holly, Elizabeth Berkley, Matthew Modine, Ann Margeret, Charlton Heston and rapper LL Cool J (showing he can act). With the shaky camera work adding to the film's realism this is one of the hottest films to date and should be seen by everyone from 15 above. The excessive language, graphic violence and shocking amount of nudity (I warn you when Diaz goes to the locker room prepare for a shock with a football player - you'll soon see what I mean) only allow it suitable for mature audiences.

There is a thin line between 'great movie' and 'terrible waste of money', and Any Given Sunday manages to walk right on that line. I could use just about any adjective in the english vocabulary to describe this film, good or bad, and it would probably fit. It seems like for everything that's good in this film, there's also something that's bad, so it cancels itself out. For those who've seen the film, what was the deal with the Ann Margaret character? Was she drunk, or dilusional, or what? On the other hand, Steamin' Willie Beamen (played perfectly by Jamie Foxx) is one of the better characters ever in a sports flick. Without Willie Beamen, this film is probably a dud, which is a shame, because it should have been so much better. Pacino over-acts quite a bit (he's been doing that a lot lately), but it's balanced out by great supporting performances and a stellar soundtrack. Anyway, being a huge football fan, I liked the movie, but I can't say that it was any better than average. I can't shake the feeling that this movie would have been better if I had more input. Being that I'm basically an average joe, that's definitely not a good sign for a Hollywood production.