You may not have heard about the upcoming movie “Concussion” which will be a dramatized account of the discovery of CTE in two NFL players who later committed suicide, but it’s a concept that’s been discussed dating back to 2013. The movie is based on a 2009 GQ article “Game Brain” written by Jeanne Marie Laskas.
Pro Football Talk says the NFL is formulating a response to the movie and citing a source, spent a good amount of time during the May owners meetings discussing how to deal with the movie.
If you saw the PBS Frontline “League of Denial” documentary, then you’ll be familiar with the subject matter and the cast of characters who will be depicted in “Concussion.” Will Smith will portray Dr. Bennet Omalu, the man who found CTE in former Pittsburgh Steelers center Mike Webster and numerous other players. Paul Reiser will play Dr. Elliott Pellman, the NFL’s point man on concussions in the 1990 and was later nicknamed “Dr. No.” In an interesting piece of casting, Luke Wilson (not his brother Owen) will play NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
Sony’s Columbia Pictures unit will release the movie on Christmas Day and while it may not be the subject of a joyful holiday movie, it shows that Sony and Columbia have confidence that the flick will have enough juice to reach a big audience. And it will be released during a time when movies gain momentum for the Academy Awards.
As concussions in the NFL have become more prevalent in the media and in the medical community, it’s interesting that the league is looking at how to respond to a movie rather than trying to clean up its own house on the matter.
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