Gavin Grey (Dennis Quaid) becomes a star of football in 1956 and marries Babs Rogers. Most of his life is determined by the crowds that cheer him and also by his two best friends Edward Lawrence (John Goodman) and nephew Donnie Cake (Timothy Hutton), who is also secretly in love with his aunt Babs. Years pass and after having 4 kids, Gavin's strength will low down and Babs has an idea with the help of Lawrence: open a bar, only that for some debts Lawrence will end up killed by unkowns. Rocking in his own myth, Gavin becomes lazier and lazier, and doesn't even notices that Donnie had the affair with Babs that he always dreamed of. After some periods of depression he mends his relation with Babs and he will spend his withdrawal from professional sports reminiscing of his athletic youth.
The direction by Taylor Hackford was top-notch. Dennis Quaid is great in the lead role as a sports star that ends up stepping far from games, and the viewer will feel his depression and take it for real. John Goodman and Timothy Hutton do nice support as his best friends, and Jessica Lange is a perfect match for Quaid. The football court scenes were pretty to watch and also the country settings.
Overall, a movie that sticks close to the original novel and a nice biography with more pros than cons. Definitely recommended.
The direction by Taylor Hackford was top-notch. Dennis Quaid is great in the lead role as a sports star that ends up stepping far from games, and the viewer will feel his depression and take it for real. John Goodman and Timothy Hutton do nice support as his best friends, and Jessica Lange is a perfect match for Quaid. The football court scenes were pretty to watch and also the country settings.
Overall, a movie that sticks close to the original novel and a nice biography with more pros than cons. Definitely recommended.