[3.6]
A classic case of a movie delivering exactly what it promises, this is an enjoyable 98 minute romp that exists for only one reason: to show off the late-career charms of Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Sally Field, and Rita Moreno. Is the movie harmed by the nearly incessant, saccharine dialogue gushing about the importance of football and the joy that Tom Brady has brought to these women’s lives? Only barely. It kind of doesn’t matter how light on drama the film is (it’s inevitable they will reach their destination) or how much the movie feels like a paid ad for the NFL, the four women in front of the camera know how to put on a show. They seem to be having a blast and bring us along for the ride. Ostensibly based on a true story, but too ridiculous to have much basis in reality, the film tells the story of a group of women who bonded over football while one of them was going through chemotherapy. Years later, these ladies still come together to celebrate the game and their heartthrob, Tom Brady. They decide to go to the Superbowl, but a series of small crises almost derails their plans (first they lose the tickets, and then, after getting into the game, the Patriots look to be on the edge of defeat). There’s an obligatory old-ladies-on-drugs scene, but it’s played pretty well, with Rita Moreno hallucinating that she’s in an “Eyes Wide Shut” scenario, playing poker at a table full of different versions of Guy Fieri. The absurdity of even basing a whole section around Fieri is actually amusing, and the movie mostly gets away with its silliness. Tom Brady makes the obligatory cameo at the end, and his acting is less awkward than expected. All in all, a fairly warm-hearted light watch.
burning retina 