MovieMantz Review: ‘Leatherheads’

After making an impressive directorial debut with 2002’s “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind” and following it up with the near-masterpiece that was 2005’s “Good Night, and Good Luck,” George Clooney fumbles with “Leatherheads.” Talk about a film that’s literally and figuratively all over the field, Clooney’s third directorial effort is a wildly uneven romantic comedy that strays too far out of bounds and needlessly runs into overtime.

That’s too bad, since it could have been a great film (or, at least, a very good one) if Clooney and screenwriters Duncan Brantley and Rick Reilly scaled back on the cliché-ridden love triangle stuff and focused on the more interesting aspects of the story – specifically, the birth of professional football as a national pastime. As it is, it’s part screwball comedy, part bumbling humor and, I’m sorry to say, kinda boring.

Back in 1925, football was a struggling sport that was on the verge of collapse. In order to save it, top player Dodge Connolly (George Clooney) tries to recruit popular golden boy Carter “The Bullet” Rutherford (John Krasinski) to join his team. Trouble looms when a tough-talking journalist named Lexie Littleton (Renee Zellweger) challenges Rutherford’s claims to be a war hero, but when both men try to play the game with Littleton, she soon has to choose between two very different hardheads who refuse to play by the rules.

Unlike other directors, who pick one particular genre and stick with it, Clooney has to be commended for trying something different every time he gets behind the camera. “Leatherheads” couldn’t be further removed from the surreal vibe of “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind” or the proud integrity of “Good Night, and Good Luck.” But “Leatherheads” too often alternates between zany comedy, offbeat humor and straightforward drama – none of which yield to a particularly engaging film (especially at nearly 2 hours).

But it has its moments, especially when Clooney and Zellweger share the screen. The chemistry is definitely there, but their sizzle starts to fizzle when John Krasinski enters the picture. Krasinski may work well within the dynamic established on TV’s ensemble comedy “The Office,” but on the big screen, he’s just not strong enough to make his presence stand out.

From box office hits like “The Perfect Storm” and “Ocean’s Eleven” to critically acclaimed performances in “Syriana” and “Michael Clayton,” George Clooney has been on an incredible roll. And it’s not like “Leatherheads” is a bad film; it’s just not a very good one — think of it as a field goal instead of a touchdown. So even if Clooney does get tackled by this setback, he’ll do what any self-respecting player does; he’ll get up, brush himself off, get back in the game and try again.

VERDICT: SKIP IT!