Concussion is a dramatic thriller which begins like a murder mystery. A puffy and peculiar acting David Morse who portrays Hall of Fame football player Mike Webster is living in his jalopy in Pittsburgh with mylar covering one window, his worldly possessions in his backseat and is homeless. Alcoholic, he visits a doctor and complains of memory problems, headaches, suicidal thoughts and begs for help. The doctor gives him Haldol and a pat on the back. Webster commits suicide. David Morse's performance is Oscar- worthy.
Will Smith as Dr. Bennet Omalu performs an autopsy on Webster. Two-times Oscar nominee Smith is barely recognizable as Dr. Omalu. With an almost sing-song speech pattern, Smith owns the character of this proud, well-educated forensic neuropathologist raised in Nigeria who longs for recognition in American medicine. Dr. Omalu does not use the same knife on different cadavers out of respect for the dead. He talks to his corpses asking them to tell him how they died and plays soft music as he dissects bodies. This fascinating attention to detail makes Smith's performance worthy of his Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor. The mystery of how the Pittsburgh Steelers are dying is what Concussion is about. Five players die young with no clues as to why. There is no brain damage as Dr. Omalu has performed autopsies on them. In these dead bodies Dr. Omalu discovers a disease which he names Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, CTE. It is related to head trauma. Esteemed medical journals credit Dr. Omalu for his historic finding. Blows to the head while playing football could be killing these players. CTE can only be detected in a corpse. Dr. Omalu with the help of Dr. Cyril Wecht played by the talented Albert Brooks take their findings to the NFL who plays them. Then Dr. Wecht is investigated by the Feds and Dr. Omalu fired. Dr. Wecht announces to Dr. Omalu that he is taking on an institution which owns a day of the week--Sunday. Commissioner Roger Goodell (Luke Wilson) defends the NFL for not admitting the connection between brain trauma and football. The NFL's argument is that the players are paid enormous sums of money. Do these players realize that they are selling to the NFL their brains, mental health and possible sanity?
Dr. Omalu is forced to relocate to California where he lives today with his wife and child. Concussion reveals these five mysterious deaths of players are due to CTE and implies that these deaths are covered up by the NFL and linked to head trauma.
Peter Landesman has written and directed this long time coming, important film which proves that concussion could be leading to early death of football players. But Concussion fumbles when it delves too much into Dr. Omalu's life with his beautiful wife, Guga Mbatha Raw, and child. This indictment of the NFL becomes a love story which takes the focus off the football players where the real pathos is. Concussion should have revealed more about the players' symptoms as their bodies deteriorate due to CTE, the tragic lives these esteemed players led and their needless suffering due to sport.
An effective Alec Baldwin as Dr. Bailes provides support to Dr. Omalu. The end of the film scrawls the achievement of Dr. Omalu -- the NFL admits that 28% of professional football players suffer from cognitive impairment after retirement.
Giant Hall of Famer Frank Gifford suffered a horrendous concussion in 1960. After his recent death, it was announced he suffered from CTE. Eighty-seven of ninety-one ex NFL players tested showed brain disease linked to head trauma.
Concussion proves football is dangerous and makes one wonder if it is really a sport? Or is it like the games inHunger Games? Are fans spectators as in ancient Rome watching gladiators as they cheer brutality while one player pummels and destroys anothers' flesh and brain which could lead to mental illness and premature death?
My fiancé was a Pittsburgh Steeler while I had been a cheerleader. I no longer watch football.
In 2013, I had a brain operation during which it was discovered I have the disease of hydrocephalus (water on the brain) from which many football players will suffer. Hydrocephalus can be a result of brain trauma. A shunt, a tube running from my brain to my abdomen to drain fluid, was placed in my body. This shunt has saved my life. In 2013, I fortunately had a mini-stroke which forced me to have an MRI of my brain. Hydrocephalus was discovered. Concussion could have addressed the need of football players to have MRIs of their brains after they retire.
Also Concussion could have interviewed players today about their opinions of having MRIs and any head trauma symptoms they may be experiencing then offer information addressed by Dr.Omalu about how to protect their brains after retirement. Instead Concussion glorifies Dr. Omalu but does not glorify the many players, victims who have suffered from concussion like famed Eagle Brian Westbrook, and scores of others. Their names could have been at the end of the film.
Because my hydrocephalus was discovered in time, I have a new life. My experience taught me that retired football players need to monitor their brains with MRIs and be made aware that shunts could give them healthy futures.
The end credits will stir up anger and a discussion about the validity of football as a sport. Dr. Omalu fought for the truth to be admitted by the NFL then dropped the ball. Concussion only tells part of the story.
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