Leatherheads

In 1925, professional American football is a rough, sparsely attended sport, while the college game draws crowds and money. Dodge Connelly, the charming captain of the Duluth Bulldogs, wants to change that and keep his hard-drinking team afloat. When the Bulldogs lose their sponsor and their league is close to collapse, Dodge persuades Carter Rutherford, a college star and decorated war hero, to turn professional and bring the attention of the whole country with him. The arrival of Carter draws a newspaper reporter, Lexie Littleton, who begins looking into the story behind his war record. Her suspicions, and her growing involvement with both men, put the team's new fame at risk.

George Clooney directed the film and stars as Dodge, with Renée Zellweger as Lexie and John Krasinski as Carter. Duncan Brantley and Rick Reilly wrote the screenplay, and Clooney produced with Casey Silver and Grant Heslov. The film was Clooney's third as director, following Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and Good Night, and Good Luck. Its cast of 37 credited performers includes Wayne Duvall, Stephen Root and Jonathan Pryce.

Released in 2008 and running 114 minutes, Leatherheads mixes comedy, drama and romance. Against a budget of about 58 million dollars, it took in roughly 41 million worldwide, a shortfall for a period sports comedy. On IMDb it holds 6 out of 10 from around 34,000 votes, and on TMDB 5.9 out of 10 from about 516 votes. A critics' rating of 6 out of 10 from 167 reviews sits close to the audience scores, indicating a mild overall response.