There’ll be divisive opinions on the strength of this picture, just as there are within Concussion itself; the scientific community versus the NFL – an organisation with more power and more dominance in America than many religions of today “The NFL owns a day of the week, The same day the church used to own. Now it’s theirs.”
Based on the true story of Dr Bennet Omalu, Concussion follows this pathologist of extreme intelligence as he works to uncover shocking evidence the NFL has tried to cover up for many years; that repeated knocks to the heads in American football are causing some of their players to develop CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) – which can result in mood irregularities (great bouts of depression), behavioural issues, cognitive difficulties such as thinking, memory loss, and early dementia. In summary, many are dying in the most horrible of ways and far removed from the personalities they once were.
Worried about the detrimental effect this news could have on the game, the NFL (National Football League) keep quiet and do their best to make sure everyone else is silent as well, but Dr Omalu won’t be intimidated, no matter what this billion-dollar business throws at him, such as deportation, job loss and threats to his life.
The film follows Dr Omalu’s life as much as they do his findings, looking both at how his personal life is affected, to how he fights to be accepted as an American, as much as he fights for the truth to be believed. Will Smith plays Dr Omalu and is incredibly moving in his portrayal, and though much has been commented on his Nigerian accent (which Dr Omalu has), Smith has been criticised for missing the inflections and tone of the person he’s playing entirely. Commentary on missing the marks of accents isn’t new to Hollywood’s stars, though there are moments in Concussion you might notice the accent’s heaviness, but it doesn’t stop Smith doing an excellent job in carrying the power of Dr Omalu’s words and emotions. In particular those of frustration and disbelief, instilling the audience to feel them as we look on at the NFL’s denial of science. Smith didn’t get an Oscar nod for this role which is more than a shame, for it’s certainly one of the best pictures he has done, and one that shows the seriousness and captivating skills the best of acting can have. Another star of Concussion is Alec Baldwin, who plays opposite Smith as Dr Julian Bailes, a doctor who’s personally worked with players now affected by CTE, and who he now feels a responsibility for. This pairing works incredibly well, and it makes you wonder why they haven’t done more films together, but it’s Dr Omalu’s relationship with Prema (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) that’s the most touching. Their support for one another and more importantly her introduction of the outside world to Dr Omalu, brings a touch of the personal to the film. Having long forgotten to live for himself, Dr Omalu has focused his passion towards fighting and talking for the dead, instead of living in the life that’s all around him. It’s fitting then that their love isn’t shown to be passionate and lustful, but growing from respect and an understanding of one another. After all it’s not a romance movie, but one that seeks to impress upon the audience the importance of its subject matter – it’s life versus a horrible death for a game that won’t even honour you.
In opening the film, it begins with the famous ex-footballer, Mike Webster, mixing real football footage with reconstructions of the induction speech he made at the Hall of Fame. His speech containing an innocent commentary on the day-to-day training and playing of the sport, but its poignantly true; “It’s painful playing football obviously. And, uh, it’s not a lot of fun out there to be in two-a-day drills in the heat of the summer, and, uh, banging heads is not a natural thing.” Praise here should be given to the writers of Concussion for the depth of their research and attention to detail, keeping as close to the real story as possible, while still making it appealing to a mass audience. This is where the Concussion divides opinion, with some believing it had enough content to be a documentary and would be more effective as such. And though I can’t disagree that it would make an informative and capturing piece, I do worry that it would lose its appeal to a larger audience – and in this it wouldn’t have the range it needs to let everyone know what Dr Omalu has fought hard to be heard – this sport is dangerous.
Concussion is not trying to be preachy, and it’s not saying you shouldn’t play American football, for it also comments on the “beauty” and “grace” of the sport. What it is trying to do, is to inform the league and the audience of the risks that should be known, and the measures that could be taken. As Dr Omalu jokes to his colleague: “I solved the problem. All they have to do is put on the side of the helmet, The Surgeon General has determined that playing football is hazardous to your health.” To which his friend replies “You got to put it on BOTH sides of the helmet.”
Bennet Omalu is going to war with the NFL, he risks it all for those he doesn’t even know – the cost being many a personal sacrifice – while those he’s seeking to help or to have help from just espouse that the “NFL is a blessing and a salvation” to Americans, and deny, dismiss and slander those who try to say otherwise. An underdog film of a man who won’t bare his teeth to win, but neither will he back away and retreat, instead taking step after step forward, and in doing so asks the audience to join him. Concussion is a real film that’s as entertaining as it is insightful.
Director & Writer: Peter Landesman
Based on the GQ article Game Brain by Jeanne Marie Laskas.
