“Draft Day” Gives You The Inside Look

By Joshua Powers 4-8-14

Kevin Costner and Jennifer Garner in “Draft Day.” Photo Credit: Dale Robinette/Summit Entertainment.

“Draft Day” opens in theaters on April 11th, and its goal is simple, give the public a view of what it is like inside the NFL as the precious day draws near. Now it can be said with 100% certainty that this film is dramatized tremendously, but it still gets the point across.

Kevin Costner stars in the lead role as Sonny Weaver Jr, an executive with the Cleveland Browns in charge of their draft picks and making sure the team doesn’t flop. He is joined by Jennifer Garner, Denis Leary and Patrick St. Esprit, along with several real life NFL analysts and players such as Chris Berman, Jon Gruden, Mel Kiper, Deion Sanders and Ray Rice. Together, this eclectic mix of characters brings the audience front and center to the real life (or somewhat real life) workings of an NFL team.

The story starts off very slow, and is slow to really get going, but all of that will make sense in the end of the story. Each part, even the beginning, plays a huge role in what happens on draft day, and if you are not paying attention you are sure to miss something.

Sonny Weaver Jr’s job is to call out the draft picks for the Cleveland Browns, but when he trades their first round picks for the next three years to the Seattle Seahawks, things start to fall to pieces. Its Weaver’s job to get the Browns back on track before their head coach (Denis Leary) quits, and their owner (Frank Langella) fires him.

This film is not intended for anyone who doesn’t love the game of football. If you don’t like the sport then this film will put you to sleep for an hour and forty five minutes. But if you have an appreciation for the game, then this is a film for you to see. The inside look that you gain on the process of draft day is incredible, and on the actual day of the draft you are just as excited as everyone in that room to find out what happens (yes there is a twist).

So find your inner sportsman, find your friends, and head out to catch “Draft Day.” It is a film that I am guaranteeing not to disappoint.