Theatrical 80 for Brady (2023)

[Jason_V]

Title: 80 for Brady (2023)

Tagline: Best friends get into the best kind of trouble.

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Director: Kyle Marvin

Cast: Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno, Sally Field, Tom Brady, Billy Porter, Alex Moffat, Rob Corddry, Guy Fieri, Harry Hamlin, Bob Balaban, Glynn Turman, Sara Gilbert, Jimmy O. Yang, Ron Funches, Matt Lauria, Sally Kirkland, Alex Bentley, Rob Gronkowski, Danny Amendola, Julian Edelman, Patton Oswalt, Retta, Pason, Bonnie Hellman, Nick Lane, Stephanie Nash, Lucius Baybak, Amy Tolsky, Karina Wolfe, Daniella Covino, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Marc Rebillet

Release: 2023-01-28

Runtime: 98

Plot: A quartet of elderly best friends decide to live life to the fullest by taking a wild trip to the Super Bowl LI to see their hero Tom Brady play.

Alright, honest talk...80 for Brady is not a good movie. The four leads-all of whom should know how to pull this script off-kinda sleepwalk through the story. This is actually a problem I have with television sitcoms as well: the talent seems to be "off" from the natural rhythm of the story and it shows. Jokes are telegraphed in advance and their comedic chops aren't there.

Here's the thing: both Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda were full of life in Grace and Frankie on Netflix. That show did not fall into this trap. Sally Field is wonderful in everything she does; Rita Moreno has a very long and successful career. These women, on paper, should have knocked this out of the park. But they don't. I will chalk that up to the script and the direction. The former is full of half-baked ideas and things the writers think is funny. Some of it is, for sure. But most of it doesn't hit the right notes.

I couldn't get myself to care about anything going on and instead focused on the next zany thing that would happen to these ladies. I'm not a football fan, but I know enough about the sport and Tom Brady to understand what's happening. I'm not a fan of Guy Fieri, but I know who he is and what he does. But, for some reason, I did enjoy 80 for Brady. I laughed, I enjoyed the in-jokes and the pure stupidity of what was happening...all the while knowing I could never recommend this movie to anyone with a straight face.

 

[benbess]

Insightful review! Thanks. I think I'll skip this one....

 

[Malcolm R]

There will be plenty of opportunities for anyone that wants to see this. It's the weekend's widest release in theaters:

 

[Jim517]

No thanks

 

[Colin Jacobson]

No thanks

I'll see it on BD, but it really does look terrible.

 

[John Dirk]

I appreciate you disclosing you're not a football fan as I think you'd sort of have to be to enjoy a film like this. I'll just chalk it up to some sort of oddball tribute to the [finally] retired, purported GOAT. It will probably achieve cult status based on that alone but, yea, I'll be skipping it.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

As I understand it this will be a Razzie nomination for 2023, one of the worst films released in some time. I hear it is a total embarrassment.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

There will be plenty of opportunities for anyone that wants to see this. It's the weekend's widest release in theaters:

View attachment 174641

Wow, can't believe it got that wide a release.

 

[TravisR]

Wow, can't believe it got that wide a release.

This movie is huge with an older crowd and like many movies aimed at that age group, it'll keep playing well for multiple weekends.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

This movie is huge with an older crowd and like many movies aimed at that age group, it'll keep playing well for multiple weekends.

Interesting. I mean, not sure where I fit into the "older" aspect in my mid 50s but I would not see this on a bet. The clips and trailers look incredibly awful, and I like Sally and Lily and Rita. Jane's got a bit of plastic surgery frozen face and my personal feeling on that is, if it makes you feel better, great! But retire from acting because it is not good for your performances. I think you just lose all your facial expressiveness when the surgery is that severe. I always think of Brazil.

Anyway, I figured this would take a horrific nosedive and not be around long, but I admit I don't know a thing about movies anymore.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

I guess I should say that if pictures like this create lead roles for older actors, well, that's great. This just looks like really bad stuff and the word on it is it was designed as an advertisement for the NFL more than a movie.

 

[Jason_V]

I appreciate you disclosing you're not a football fan as I think you'd sort of have to be to enjoy a film like this. I'll just chalk it up to some sort of oddball tribute to the [finally] retired, purported GOAT. It will probably achieve cult status based on that alone but, yea, I'll be skipping it.

I don’t necessarily agree with that. I very much enjoy other football movies (Remember the Titans, Varsity Blues) for different reasons.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

This movie is huge with an older crowd and like many movies aimed at that age group, it'll keep playing well for multiple weekends.

Yeah, my 81-year-old stepmother rarely goes to movies but she saw it with friends.

A 68-year-old former co-worker wants nothing to do with it though she'd a target demo too!

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Jane's got a bit of plastic surgery frozen face

A bit???

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I guess I should say that if pictures like this create lead roles for older actors, well, that's great. This just looks like really bad stuff and the word on it is it was designed as an advertisement for the NFL more than a movie.

Which seems weird because the older female demo isn't exactly gonna be a match for something about the NFL.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

A bit???

Well, hey, I don't want to be too critical. She is doing fine, the blonde hair I guess is a wig and that kind of adds to the unusual look. Unfortunately it is not the best look for her. Nothing against Jane, but I will admit that I think you are better off allowing yourself to age gracefully, and she is standing with 3 women that have done that and that all look great. That does not help her either.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

Which seems weird because the older female demo isn't exactly gonna be a match for something about the NFL.

I don't know. I know the NFL has some across the board appeal and I know older women that love it and will talk lustily about some of the players. Maybe it is a combination older chick flick and older couple date night film. I think I may still be too young for this kind of movie.

 

[John Dirk]

I don’t necessarily agree with that. I very much enjoy other football movies (Remember the Titans, Varsity Blues) for different reasons.

Yep. As stated, just my opinion. I'm a casual fan of the game and love those films as well. These days I find myself MUCH more interested in the business of sports than the actual games.

 

[Malcolm R]

My 75-YO mother loves the NFL, but hates Tom Brady, so though she may fit the demographic she's out.