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Here's a look at the new movie I saw this week.

Draft Day
Starring: Kevin Costner, Jennifer Garner, Dennis Leary, Frank Langella, and Chadwick Boseman
Synopsis: Sports movies are tricky. People generally know what to expect, and it takes a lot to make a good one. For a long time, Kevin Costner has been the king of baseball movies. His performances in comedies, dramas and iconic baseball films made him the go to guy in the genre. With “Draft Day,” Costner looks to conquer football in a similar fashion. Costner plays the general manager of the Cleveland Browns on the day of the NFL draft. His job is in jeopardy, his franchise is reeling and his personal life is a storm of chaos. The film takes a deep look at the NFL Draft and NFL franchises. It has a lot of people connected with the NFL in it, and it takes you into a war room. And it does all of that in a compelling way. It’s the most excited I’ve been about the NFL draft in years, and it wasn’t even real. Most football fans are familiar with the NFL draft. It’s a fun, exciting time of promise. There’s always drama about who will get selected, and with what pick. There’s always surprises about who gets picked. And there’s usually a lot of head scratching. And that’s just the part that the public gets to see. The script from Scott Rothman and Rajiv Joseph takes you behind the scenes. The film does a great job of hewing closely to reality — it’s the 2014 NFL draft, it uses real NFL franchises and commissioner Roger Goodell makes an appearance — while creating fictional picks and characters. It’s an exploration of the pressure and negotiations that go on behind the scenes while the clock ticks down. For a sports fan, this is kind of like the ultimate insider experience. But it works for non sports fans too. At its heart, “Draft Day” is about a man trying to balance a lot of balls in his life while doing his job well. There’s drama, humor and a lot of heart. That’s what makes a good sports movie, and what makes a good movie. Ivan Reitman — who’s no stranger to comedies — does a great job bringing this story to life. Costner is a great choice in the lead role. He continues his dominance in sports movies — this time with a football movie — as he makes the ideal everyman in this film. You want to root for him, and you go through a variety of emotions as he battles a lot of chaos in making the most important decision of his life. The film has a strong supporting cast — including Garner, Leary and Langella — and mixes in a lot of familiar faces from ESPN, the NFL Network and professional football. It all adds to the mix to make an enjoyable film. “Draft Day” is a pleasant surprise. It is a sports movie with humor and heart, and it’s one of the better films of 2014. For sports fans — or fans of a good story — this one is can’t miss. It’s also the best thing to happen to Cleveland professional sports since LeBron James.
Rating: PG-13 for brief strong language and sexual references.
Verdict: Four stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:
Friday, April 25 — "The Other Woman," "The Quiet Ones," "Brick Mansions"

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