The truth about will smiths concussion and bennet omalu. In short, concussion is worth waiting to see on netflix or redbox if only for will smiths performance but represents a significant missed opportunity to tell its disquieting story. He has a knack of uncovering the cause of death in cases where the obvious evidence is often the greatest. Bennet omalu, a forensic pathologist who fights against the national football league trying to suppress. Will smith, gugu mbatharaw, alec baldwin, albert brooks. A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injuryor tbicaused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. While a film about brain trauma research does not sound particularly exciting, the controversial hotbutton issue of the nfls denial that collisions as part of playing football can lead to potentially fatal brain damage is fuel for a searing prestige picture. The film follows the exploits of a married lesbian woman who gets in. Concussion lands a solid, wellacted hit on its impressively timely subject matter, even if its traditional sports drama structure is a little too safe to deserve a fullon dance in the end zone.
Concussion is a 2015 american biographical sports drama film directed and written by peter landesman, based on the expose game brain by jeanne marie laskas, published in 2009 by gq magazine. Concussions true anxietycausing moments arise after the film is over, for anyone watching an actual football game. Will smith stars in concussion, a dramatic thriller based on the incredible true david vs. Bennet omalu, the nigerian immigrant who was the first to publish research on the. Dec 31, 2015 the film is a message movie through and through, but isnt bold enough to say anything more interesting than football is dangerous. Bennet omalu, the brilliant forensic neuropathologist who made the first discovery of cte. Commissioner paul tagliabue started the committee on mild traumatic brain injury to explore the injuries and left the results with new commissioner, roger goodell. After a blow to the head, abby decides she cant do it anymore. The doctor who inspired the movie concussion truth doesnt. Concussion s emphasis on the need for public awareness of the probable danger of tackle football is well presented, even though the nfl seems like a bond villains empire.
Plan for a 3hour session as the movie has a 122minute running time. A sensitive will smith anchors film that hits home. A baseball to the side of her head prompts her to reexamine her life. Only a small percentage of those who suffer a concussion will experience persistent symptoms lasting more than a week, but for those who do endure what is referred to as post concussive syndrome pcs the lingering symptoms can be debilitating. It takes half the run time just to get to the point you already know from the title of the movie. Concussion is a 20 american drama film written and directed by stacie passon and starring. The doctor who inspired the movie concussion truth doesnt have a side august 11, 2017 1.
With robin weigert, maggie siff, johnathan tchaikovsky, ben shenkman. Concussion not just the movie premier sport psychology. This sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, creating chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretching and. This is a movie that should eviscerate the billionaires running the league for ignoring the needs of the players who they made money off of and then threw aside. Football players and concussionsby jeanne marie laskas. He goes on to spread the word about concussions to help keep athletes safe.
Dec 27, 2015 the new will smith movie concussion has put the spotlight back on the dangers of football. Concussion lands a solid, wellacted hit on its impressively timely subject matter, even if. The endings a vague copout, but the movie is much smarter and more nuanced than the latenightcinemax setup suggests. Rarely, experiencing a second concussion before signs and symptoms of a first concussion have resolved may result in rapid and usually fatal brain swelling. Concussion is a smart, sexy look at one lesbians midlife crisis. Dec 21, 2015 the movie is emotionally and spiritually accurate all the way through, concussions writerdirector peter landesman told the new york times on wednesday, in response to griping from. With the release of concussion on december 25, heres a look at the real story of dr. Robin weigert plays abby ableman, a housewife and mother of two, in a marriage suffering from lesbian bed death. Concussion is a 2015 american biographical sports drama film directed and written by peter. At this time, theres no conclusive evidence indicating that repeated brain injuries contribute to cumulative effects.
I think concussion can be an extremely valuable educational tool. A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, jolt, or blow to the head. Bennet omalu, the brilliant forensic neuropathologist who made the first discovery of cte, a footballrelated brain trauma, in a pro player and fought for the truth to be known. Her life just cant be only about the house, the kids and the wife. If you like a little sports drama during the holiday season and dont feel like watching another rocky movie then you may want to catch a showing of. Omalus emotional quest puts him at dangerous odds with one of the most powerful. The real story behind concussion with the release of concussion on december 25, heres a look at the real story of dr. Dec 27, 2015 the film presents the topic seriously, morosely, and carefully, with omalu a voice for footballs unsung victims. The editing, by oscarwinner william goldenberg he won for argo and also put together zero dark thirty, for which he was also nominated, is brisk and inventive, managing to imbue excitement into montages in which omalu is doing nothing more pulsepounding than looking at a bunch of slides. Jan, 2016 concussion is based on the gq article brain game.
Jan 12, 2016 six things concussion the movie wont tell you but brain experts will. Bennet omalu played by will smith is a pathologist working in pittsburgh, pennsylvania. This movie was a movie i had been looking forward to for a long time because i thought it was very courageous for a movie to tackle this pun intended especially. Bennet omalu is a caring, thorough doctor at the pittsburgh medical examiners office whos baffled by his latest case. I wish i could meet the writers of this movie so i could hug them and thank them for the boldness of this movie and the message is speaks.
The sudden movement causes the brain to bounce around or twist inside the skull. Screening of the movie concussion american academy of neurology. Aug 11, 2017 the doctor who inspired the movie concussion truth doesnt. Nov, 20 concussion is a smart, sexy look at one lesbians midlife crisis. Omalu made and the ensuing fight both to force the n.
Dec 23, 2015 the movie is engaging and fascinating for much of its two hours. Losing much during concussions run time, smith brings the right amout of naive good intentions and despair to omalus character to make the portrayal nothing if not powerful. The mpaa rated concussion pg for thematic material including some disturbing images, and language. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Dec 25, 2015 will smith stars in concussion, a dramatic thriller based on the incredible true david vs. Concussion, a new film written and directed by stacie passon, takes this wellworn storyline and makes something unique out of it, something fresh and bizarre. How is your tv making your concussion symptoms worse. A jolt to the body can also cause a concussion if the impact is strong enough to cause. Thematically, despite what you might have heard, the movie has more in common with american beauty than with the kids are all right, as concussion also involves a character who is tired of. Concussion tries to achieve the depth and stakes of. This movie has absolutely changed my life and in a way that i was simply not. Bennet omalu and his battle to raise awareness about the issue of brain. Dec 21, 2015 concussion tries to achieve the depth and stakes of the biblical story of esther, without quite enough unchecked power or genocide to support the claim the movie is based on reallife dr.
Six things concussion the movie wont tell you but brain. This will allow for an introduction and a discussion after the movie. Dec 03, 2015 it makes sense that the first sound one hears as the movie concussion opens is the cacophony of football. I think its the first time i actually see will smith playing or at least his foreign accent is pretty good for the character although it. Its not just because concussion is about a marriage between two women, although that is part of it. Leonard marshall on cte, concussion movie and the nfl. Bennet omalu and director peter landesman on the set of the movie concussion.
Sep 01, 2015 leonard marshall on cte, concussion, and the nfl then and now. In the new movie concussion, premiering christmas day, will smith plays a forensic pathologist who discovers neurological deterioration chronic traumatic encephalopathy in football players. But many of the halfdozen concussion experts interviewed by marketwatch for this article were dismayed by the. The doctor who inspired the movie concussion truth doesn. It is a gift to countless families who otherwise might lose their sons the same way we lost so many other players to this irresponsible and reckless sport. Peter landesman is an american film director, producer, screenwriter, journalist, novelist and painter. He wrote a number of cover stories for the new york times magazine, new yorker, atlantic monthly and others, including investigations into global arms trafficking, sex trafficking, refugee trafficking, the rwandan genocide, and the creation and smuggling of forged and stolen.
Surprisingly poignant, executed well, and maturely conveyed, concussion is a surprising film. Eventually omalu realizes that websters brain is damaged, the result of years of hits to the head playing football and many, many. Football is the villain in earnest but predictable drama. This leads to stretching and damaging of brain cells and chemical changes in the brain.