Any Given Sunday

Have a look at this list of films; Born On The Fourth Of July, The Doors, Talk Radio, JFK, Nixon, Midnight Express, Platoon, Wall Street, Heaven And Earth, Natural Born Killers, U Turn and Scarface.
They were all directed by Oliver Stone and depending on your taste are very important American films. His latest is his American Football movie called Any Given Sunday.
This film does some things exceedingly well, augmented by Stone’s trademark quick cuts, his obtrusive, forcefully overlaid, sound track and his use of multiple images.
They work especially when Stone is depicting the confusion and fear of a sportsman under pressure.
Stone’s representation of Nazi Rap; face painted, huge soldier/line backers jiving in the locker room, was a shock, a masterstroke of fine film making, thrown in in an instant and then quickly flung away.
But there were disappointments, mainly to do with Any Given Sunday being such a traditional sport film, with the usual ageing master player, upstart usurper and climactic final game. I would have hoped that a film maker of Oliver Stone’s ability might have resisted following such a well trodden path but still, it’s lifted beyond the average by it’s intensity. Still, in spite of its strengths Any Given Sunday isn’t one of Oliver Stone’s best.
Al Pacino plays Tony D’Marto as Pacino always plays Pacino. Pacino is still of course worth watching though.
D’Marto is the coach of a losing team. He’s dedicated to the game and to the club but the original owner has died leaving the business to his no nonsense daughter Christina (Cameron Diaz).
Dennis Quaid plays Jack `Cap' Rooney who’s been a champion quarter back but is on the way out. Young gun Willie (Jamie Foxx) is nervous enough to vomit on the field before plays but develops the confidence to become a star. He gets big headed and then grows up. Will all be decided in a close final game? Well that’s for you to find out by seeing Any Given Sunday.
So who should see this film. Well I would think that more men will enjoy the film than women but such a statement is always a worry. But then nobody should miss the reaction of Cap Rooney’s wife (played by Lauren Holly) when Cap says that he can’t play any more.
It’s that sort of film moment that make all of Oliver Stone’s films worth seeing.

3 And A Half Sporting Flys

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