Release Date: December 25 (US), January 29 (UK) The Hype: Writer-director Peter Landesman (Parkland) directs Will Smith in his first bout of Proper Serious Acting since 2008's awards bust Seven Pounds, though with timely, fascinating subject matter (Smith plays the doctor who discovered the brain trauma caused by head injuries in American football), the prospects are certainly looking much stronger here. The stacked cast meanwhile includes Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Alec Baldwin, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Stephen Moyer, Eddie Marsan, Luke Wilson, Paul Reiser, David Morse and Albert Brooks. How Well Will It Do?: Landesman is definitely a wild card given how much of a mixed bag Parkland was, but the trailer looks killer, and the relevance of the focal issue is undeniable. Though some e-mails from the Sony Pictures leak suggest that the studio considered toning down the movie to avoid antagonising the NFL, Sony have staunchly fired back that this isn't the case. The truth, of course, remains to be seen. Still, there's a strong chance this is the riveting comeback Smith has needed for a while now, and though he'll surely push the film to financial success, the real question is whether or not his work will be strong enough to net him an Oscar nomination, which would be his third overall and first since 2007, for The Pursuit Of Happyness. It's certainly not outside the realm of possibilities...
Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes).
General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.
