Concussion

The good news is that "Concussion" was enjoyable and worth seeing. The bad news is that it employs a narrative plotline that has been used before when a protagonist goes up against a corporate powerhouse. As a result, the movie comes across as good but not great. I took note of the cinematography and performance of Will Smith but those characteristics of "Concussion" are the only ones that really stand out.

The plot of the movie wasn't bad because towards the end of the movie, I was wondering how things were going to work out for the main character. The reason Dave Duerson is portrayed in the movie is because the story needed a Doubting Thomas who, when converted, changes what others believe about Omalu's research. The establishing shot of Pittsburgh was a good one. I hadn't looked into the back-story before seeing this movie but when that steel mill appeared, I knew what city the film would be set in (I didn't pick up Pittsburgh from the opening prologue because I am not an NFL fan). The cinematography is something to be pointed out about "Concussion" because there was a lot of rack focus and extreme close up shots of people's eyes. The one scene that was really powerful was when Bennet smashes a big hole in the wall of his dream house. The use of sound is what makes that scene memorable because instead of a complete mute, we still hear all the ambient and background sound effects such as people outside. The only sounds that are muted have to do with Bennet and the wall. The use of religion in the plot is something I applaud. It may be part of the story for historical accuracy and even if that is the case, Bennet's religious background provides a reason as to why he is persistent. The film is not preachy but at the same time portrays religion in a positive light.

Oscar-nominated actor Will Smith gives a performance that stands out among the other cinematic elements of "Concussion". His accent has been criticized by native Nigerians but on the other hand, Will has already won awards from portraying Omalu and other nominations are sure to come. I'm not saying he will win them all but it shows that his accent was good enough for the majority of his audience. It was good to see David Morse in this movie. The one flaw concerning this film is that the plot felt too familiar. Besides that, I saw some great work from those in front of and behind the camera.

3.5 Stars