Any Given Sunday **** (1999, Al Pacino, Dennis Quaid, James Woods, Cameron Diaz, Jamie Foxx, L L Cool J) – Classic Movie Review 1561

Co-writer/director Oliver Stone’s 1999 sports movie Any Given Sunday finds Al Pacino on blistering form as Tony D’Amato, an ageing crusty veteran professional football coach who has obsessively sacrificed his wife, family and personal life for his career. In the acting stakes, Pacino easily outstrips even the excellent Cameron Diaz, as the team’s feisty young, ambitious owner Christina Pagniacci.

Pacino’s character’s career is on the skids, till along comes a young, unknown third-string quarterback, Steamin’ Willie Beamen (Jamie Foxx), whom Pacino can coach to greatness, bringing both his team and his own career back to the top. But Pacino has to contend with Pagniacci, the aggressive young president/co-owner of the team, now coming into her own after her father’s death as she bids to prove herself in a male dominated world.

Dennis Quaid plays professional football legend and quarterback Cap Rooney, who is knocked out of the game by a devastating hit, giving the third-stringer a chance to replace him. So Beaman seizes what may be his last chance, after being benched for years through bad luck and perhaps a lack of character.

Director Stone’s rousing, passion-packed American professional football drama is scalding stuff, with exhilarating direction, a great cast on top form and some superb action both on and off field. Stone writes the screenplay expertly and exuberantly with John Logan.

Any Given Sunday is based on former NFL player Pat Toomay’s novel about a fictional professional football team. The screen story is by Daniel Pyne and John Logan.

The film boasts a great ensemble cast full of familiar faces. James Woods, Ann-Margret, Matthew Modine, LL Cool J, Jim Brown, Charlton Heston, Lawrence Taylor, Bill Bellamy, Andrew Bryniarski, Lela Rochon, Lauren Holly, Aaron Eckhart, Elizabeth Berkley, Lauren Holly and John C McGinley also comprise that cast, along with many NFL Hall of Famers.

Incidentally, the essential NFL jockstrap equipment was originally invented way back in 1874 by C F Bennett of a Chicago sporting goods company, Sharp & Smith, to provide comfort and support for bicycle jockeys working the cobblestone streets of Boston.

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1561

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