It remains to be seen whether I'll find "Draft Day" to be a particularly memorable film in the long term, but at the very least it is a fun diversion that feels fresh and consistently entertains, with very few stumbles along the way.
The film follows Kevin Costner's character, Sonny Weaver Jr. on the day of the NFL draft. It is an especially stressful day for Weaver, the General Manager for the Cleveland Browns. Not only is he under pressure from his team's owner to handle the draft in a particular fashion, but he's also frequently at odds with the head coach, has just found out that his girlfriend (and coworker) is pregnant, and his mother has decided that this is the day they must take care of scattering his father's ashes. If "Draft Day" has a weakness, it is in the handling of this final storyline. While the pregnancy storyline is clearly inserted into the film to inject more drama, it is introduced very early on and thus doesn't feel out of place. When Weaver's mother shows up partway through the film and insists on pulling him away from urgent matters to participate in the scattering of the ashes, however, it feels like an artificial complication. It is never explained why that needs to occur on this day of all days.
Even with that small misstep, the film as a whole maintains a fast-paced, energetic tone. It's fun watching Costner deal with each new obstacle he faces, the personal and the professional. We're never sure if he really knows what he's doing or if he's grasping at straws as he negotiates with executives from other teams, but his determination is mesmerizing either way. Costner delivers a solid performance, managing to come across as weighed down by everything the day throws at him, yet steadfast in his will to fight through it. The film also features an effective supporting cast, with Denis Leary, Jennifer Garner, and Frank Langella serving as allies, enemies, or foils to Costner depending on the scene.
One of the more interesting aspects about the film is that it is a football movie with next to no actual football in it, as it takes place during the off season. That the film still manages to be compelling is a testament to the energy with which it is made. While not football, the mental contest Costner engages in with other GMs is a game in and of itself as he bluffs and negotiates his way through the day. The film uses a creative editing technique for these phone call scenes. They're done split-screen, with Costner on one half of the screen and the other character on the other side, but the two images sometimes overlap. For example, if Costner makes a hand gesture while speaking, his hand might extend onto the other half of the screen. This helps forge a connection between the two halves of the scene and keeps things visually exciting, very important for a film with so many such scenes.
"Draft Day" may not be a new classic, but for the most part it does what it sets out to do very well. I had a lot of fun watching it, and it's certainly one of the better films in theatres right now.
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