IMDb > Leatherheads (2008)
Leatherheads
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Leatherheads (2008) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 71 | slideshow) Videos (see all 24 NEW)
Leatherheads (2008) -- Leatherheads Trailer
Leatherheads (2008) -- Clip: Dodge and Carter fight
Leatherheads (2008) -- Behind the scenes: George Clooney intercepts a pass
Leatherheads (2008) -- Interview: John Krasinski "On pro football at the time"
Leatherheads (2008) -- A romantic comedy set in the world of 1920s football, where the owner of a professional team drafts a strait-laced college sensation, only to watch his new coach fall for his fianc�e.

Overview

User Rating:
6.1/10   12,765 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 3% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
George Clooney
Writers (WGA):
Duncan Brantley (written by) &
Rick Reilly (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Leatherheads on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
4 April 2008 (USA) more
Genre:
Comedy | Drama | Romance | Sport more
Tagline:
In the beginning, the rules were simple. There weren't any. more
Plot:
A romantic comedy set in the world of 1920s football, where the owner of a professional team drafts a strait-laced college sensation, only to watch his new coach fall for his fiancée. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
2 nominations more
User Comments:
Likable Period-Piece...! more (108 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

John Krasinski ... Carter Rutherford

David de Vries ... Princeton Reporter #1 (as David DeVries)
Rick Forrester ... Princeton Reporter #2
Craig S. Harper ... Princeton Reporter #3 (as Craig Harper)

George Clooney ... Jimmy 'Dodge' Connelly

Malcolm Goodwin ... Bakes

Matt Bushell ... Curly

Tommy Hinkley ... Hardleg

Tim Griffin ... Ralph

Robert Baker ... Stump
Nick Paonessa ... Zoom

Lance Barber ... Toledo Referee

Wayne Duvall ... Coach Frank Ferguson
Nicholas Bourdages ... Bug

Jason Drago ... Toledo Player
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Ein verlockendes Spiel (Germany)
more
MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for brief strong language.
Runtime:
114 min
Country:
USA | Germany
Language:
English
Colour:
Colour
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS
Certification:
Ireland:PG | Canada:G (Manitoba/Quebec) | UK:PG | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Ontario) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #44052) | Germany:6 | Australia:PG | Netherlands:6 | Finland:K-11 | South Korea:12 | Singapore:PG | Argentina:13 | Japan:PG-12 | New Zealand:PG

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
For this role, John Krasinski had to change his usual hair style. This hair change was worked into a story on his television show, "The Office" (2005). more
Goofs:
Anachronisms: At the end of the movie, a radio announcer refers to a pass as a 'Hail Mary.' The term was coined by Roger Staubach in 1975, referring to his pass at the end of a Dallas Cowboys game on December 28, 1975. more
Quotes:
Carter Rutherford: I thought you liked me.
Jimmy 'Dodge' Connelly: Look, she's too old for you.
Lexie Littleton: What? Well, you're too old for *me*!
Jimmy 'Dodge' Connelly: Well, you got me on that one.
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in "Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: (2008-04-05)" (2008) more
Soundtrack:
Over There more

FAQ

What kind of play is the "pig in the poke"?
What song was playing in the speakeasy?
What kind of motorcycle is Dodge driving?
more
33 out of 49 people found the following comment useful.
Likable Period-Piece...!, 5 April 2008
7/10
Author: canuckteach from Ontario

I saw Leatherheads today, despite the negative comments here at IMDb. On the whole, I agree with the 'movie-guy: Doug' who ventured that this is a "slapstick comedy that is cute and enjoyable to watch". I'd add that this is a comedic period-piece, which is pleasant and witty, rather than hilarious and knee-slapping (if you want to get technical). It offers excellent sets, costumes and characterizations typical of the Roaring 20's when Newspapers were godlike, and Radio was just unfolding.

It's (loosely) about Pro Football in the 20's. The message is that the game was rough, poorly-regulated and messy! (No wonder Baseball was America's game!) College players fared better, with fervent fan support and well-tended fields of play -- but after College, great players packed it up and got real jobs (or switched to baseball, I guess). In this story, George Clooney hopes to boost the fortunes of his floundering Toledo Pro team by recruiting a college superstar (and reported war-hero), played by John Krasinski. Renée Z. is the ace reporter dispatched to get the goods on the football hero's military service record.

The film was reminiscent of the 1988 film '8 Men Out' in doing a great job of recreating the look and feel of that era. However, '8 Men Out' was based upon a real life incident and a fabulous book. 'Leatherheads' was a story one IMDb contributor says George Clooney carried around in his pocket for 20 years. So, I'd agree that the storytelling and comedy bits of the screenplay are lacking a bit. However, George does fine as a Director and Performer -- I don't buy that comedy isn't 'his thing' - he was sparkling in 'Oh Brother Where Art Thou' and 'Intolerable Cruelty' (ahhhhh, but those were Coen Brothers scripts, which showed what George could do with a real creative team behind him). Also, it looked like the cast had a hoot making this thing -- to be honest, if the DVD has lots of bloopers and special features, that alone might induce me to pick it up in 2009.

I quite enjoyed the film, but, then, I like period pieces, especially those about the Jazz Age (8 Men Out, Great Gatsby and the Sting are in my Top-20). Nice soundtrack by Randy Newman here, too. This was witty and pleasant to watch. And PG-13 comedies that are NOT about singles dating morons or kids with three dads, or sperm donors (the Previews at our matinée today) are in very short supply these days.

Might add that Renée was quite charming in the manner of a glamor girl of the Jazz Age, with soft blonde hair and strategic use of red lipstick to produce that perfect 'kissy' smile! Pete Gerety, a veteran character player, chips in with a nice spot as a new Football Commissioner. I recognized Gerety as the smooth-talking oil baron 'Lee Janus' in another Clooney project, Syriana.

7/10 - canuckteach

btw: The NFL really didn't get rolling as a major diversion until NFL Films made it a TV legacy in the late 60's. (In the 50's, it was viewed in crummy black and white with those ugly-duckling 4-poster goalposts).

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Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Leatherheads (2008)
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Should have been B + W or even Sepia DrHerbertWest
The hat whyte-matt
100 things I learned from leatherheads alexweiss3
Why the Black Guy? monolithichex
The final play of the game. Reggie67
The time period and Renee Zellweger's hair PhillyGal
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