Draft Day

Kevin Costner’s unexpected comeback continues with this surprisingly fine sports jam in the vein of Moneyball—it’s not about the meal, it’s about how the sausage gets made. In this instance, the NFL draft. Costner is Sonny Weaver Jr., GM of the Cleveland Browns, and he needs to bring his town a win (because as the movie rudely offers, sports is all the Cleve has. Suck it, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!). Draft day happens one week after the death of his father—the beloved Browns coach who Jr. fired, whoops—and on the same day he learns his colleague (Jennifer Garner) is pregnant by his own hand (unnecessary on multiple levels). This movie, which takes place in one day, is 80 percent manly phone calls—director Ivan Reitman, who has done much worse, manages to keep the split screen lively and inventive—and while it’s not as good as what it’s trying to emulate, there’s an electric Good Wifeian quality to the dealmaking, and though he shouldn’t be making out with the Jennifer Garners of the world, Costner’s charisma and star quality are still holding on. —Tara Thorne