If you are still wishing you could have gone to the Super Bowl of 2017, it’s not too late to watch 80 FOR BRADY, an amusing comedy involving that exciting football event. Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Sally Field and Rita Moreno have a ball as old friends who try to relive their feelings about that earlier game by going from Boston to Houston to see Tom Brady play again.
We expect great performances from star power like this, and these women don’t disappoint their fans. I am biased a bit toward Fonda and Moreno because of interesting personal meetings with both of them. It was my pleasure to meet Fonda at the Pueblo airport and take her to a function here back in days of yore. She looked so big on the screen, but she was tiny in person. Plus, she seemed very serious. And I interviewed Moreno during a radio show about Singin’ in the Rain where she came across as a real entertainer.
In 80 for Brady, Fonda plays an attractive divorcee and Moreno a lovely widow who falls asleep easily. That leaves Tomlin and Field. We know both of them can be funny, of course. However, Field proves she can outshine the group by playing a professor who is supposed to be the responsible one but ends up doing some silly things such as entering a Spicy BBQ Wings Challenge. But Tomlin also gives us surprises as the group’s risk-taker. My favorite scene shows all four characters doing an impromptu dance with a celebrity played by the great Billy Porter.
The story follows these super fans as they win tickets to the Super Bowl – and then lose them..
Four old friends to Super Bowl go.
Their adventure makes quite a show.
They want to see Tom Brady play
and have an extra-special day.
“80 for Brady” stars known gals
who charm us as these elder pals.
They make us laugh and cheer them on
plus feel a tear when things go wrong.
Tomlin, Moreno, Fonda, Field
prove super talent will not yield.
What about Tom Brady? Well, he appears as himself and that might not be enough for his fans. He also served as producer so he’s partly to blame.Nevertheless, 80 for Brady concentrates on its four stars, and that’s fine with me.
Directed by Kyle Marvin from a screenplay by Sarah Haskins and Emily Halpern, this movie should appeal to senior citizens who enjoy comedies with a bit of slapstick as well as drama.
A day without laughter is a day wasted. --- Charlie Chaplin