Movie Review of George Clooney's Leatherheads

George Clooney's latest silver screen venture is a cheesy, yet surprisingly funny, banter of words. If you're not listening, you'll miss all the barbed comments and cutting insults amidst the bumbling physical humor. In my opinion, the battle of words is the best part of the show.

In this flick, Clooney plays Dodge Connelly, an aging football player during a time when football was a no hold's barred fight to the death. As the game evolves, rules and regulations surface and, like they do almost everywhere else, hinder the true essence of the game.

Opposite Clooney's disarmingly dry-humored articulations is equally biting Lexie Littleton, played by Renee Zellweger. A journalist eager to claw her way to the top, Littleton takes on an assignment to get the truth behind one of America's heroes, Carter Rutherford (John Krasinski). A cunning woman in the male dominated world of sports (and sports journalism), she must uncover the truth about the war hero turned football star.

Rutherford has the looks and the magnetism to pull in men and women alike. However, Littleton is a smart dame and savvy of all men's tricks. She utilizes her own female wiles as a means to an end and eventually Rutherford confesses the truth.

Like a moth to a flame, predictably both Connelly and Rutherford are drawn to Littleton. Her brash nature depicts a strong woman ahead of the times. She drinks and curses like the men in illegal speakeasies, yet manages to maintain her feminine allure in pencil skirts and ruby red lips.

In this movie, Clooney's character seems to reflect the closest to the actor's real nature. Connelly is charming, sarcastic and masculine. Most of the time he spends covered in dirt wearing a football uniform. The rest of the time he wears a suit and tie, although his tie is not knotted in a debonair James Bond sort of way.

Besides acting in the film, Clooney served as the movie's director and producer. This film is a definite departure from his dramatic projects, such as Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Good Night, and Good Luck and Michael Clayton. Still, it had its own brand of appeal that was rather engaging. Clooney fans will definitely enjoy the film because he is featured in almost all the shots. While not laugh-out-loud funny, somehow the movie tugs at your funny bone and you find yourself chuckling and just can't seem to stop.

The movie is about two hours long and rated PG-13 for brief strong language.