Movie Review: 80 for Brady

Hey everyone, my name is Anthony and welcome back to Movie Review.

Anyway, for many years, I love watching sports, mainly motorsports like Formula 1, Formula E, Indycar and couple others, but I’ve never a hardcore fan of other sports like hockey, gold, tennis or, in main subject, Football. Im not talking about soccer that its also known as “Football” in Europe, im talking about where you kick the ball, throw the ball, run from yard after yard to Touchdown, you know? Western Football!

Explanation in a nutshell aside, I rarely watching Football, let along either NFL or CFL (same could be said like Hockey, but I digress), but I mainly like to hear some moments of best moments and even some controversial moments. When it comes to famous Football player, there’s plenty of them to choose, either you love or hate them, but the one of the most famous or infamous is none other than Tom Brady. Tom Brady is one of the most divided Quarterback player in history when he’s been with New England’s Patriots from 2000 all the way til 2019, before he went to Tampa Bay’s Buccaneers for his final ride before recent retirement on February the first. But of course, like Lewis Hamilton, he’s also being love to hated by opposed fans for his responsible to his team Patriots to win SuperBowl 6 times, as well as his controversy of deflating the balls to win in various matches. Other than controversies, he’s always being beloved or hated in NFL’s community, but it wasn’t until there’s one report that we’ve never expected to hear, Tom Brady, worked on movie?

“80 for Brady” is a 2023 sports comedy film that was directed by Kelvin Marvin, produced by Donna Gigliotti and Tom Brady himself, and written by Sarah Haskins and Emily Halpern.

Like I said, it was unheard about Brady being involved as a producer of this movie he’s retired of his Quarterback career. Well, it all started in last year’s February where he took a retirement of his career to pursuing to be producer of this movie, which at first, I though his retirement is a publicity stunt for his attention to stay with Buccaneers one last time before this year’s retirement for good, aside he had a divorce from his former wife based on his… Personal reasons, but its more like he catch a break to make a movie, but coming back to NFL one last time. The idea of this movie is based on the group of elder fans of Brady, simply called “Over 80 for Brady” club, which was pitched by one of the elder’s grandson for this movie. I mean, ok we have young or middle aged people being a fans of Brady, but I never heard of much older fans of one Quarterback like Brady. What’s next, kids’ club fans of Patrick Mahomes from Kansas City Chiefs??

So, with all the said, is this film worth to be a fan of Brady, or is this film that made me hated more about the Patriots?

Well, lets find out.

The Story

For the movie about elder Brady fangirls, you think the story itself is about a chance to meet Tom Brady? Well, no. It feels like a carbon copy of one movie.

The movie takes place in 2017, where the elder fangirls Lou, Trish, Maura and Betty are enjoying watching NFL with Patriots, mainly their overly support of Tom Brady since 2001, after Lou finishing her chemotherapy from… Lets just say, a miracle from New England Patriots? This time, ever since they enjoy watching the game for decade in a half, after Steelers are defeated by Patriots in AFC Championship to going at SuperBowl LI against Atlanta Falcons. Lou wanted her friends to going in SuperBowl arena to see than watching on live television, but after they won a contest to get 4 free contest to share their fandom stories, and break in to bring Maura out of retirement facility, its up to them in a long journey for going into Houston, Texas to watching SuperBowl LI in person.

Honestly, I find the story of this movie feels like… Been done before. “Why?” you asked? Its because this movie feels like an NFL movie version of National Lampoon’s Vacation, you know, a movie about going to the destination for their trip? Yup, they pretty much copied from NL’s Vacation, but with Patriots fangirls. Its all about going to Houston, Texas to see not just the arena, but also the NFL Experience and the party club, that’s it, it feels like it has no originality, just a Vacation with NFL placement with celebs cameos. Not to mention, the writing is just plain weak, because there are couple moments that are either cringe or even getting away with like how Lou, Betty and Trish break in for Maura or even broke in to take a shortcut without getting into troubles that it really boggles my questions like “Where’s the security?” or “How they didn’t get into troubles??”. Meanwhile, there’s also the humors, but… It feels like a desperation and the fact that we’re not in 1980s, sure I do have some chuckles but other jokes feel like they’re not even trying to give me a chuckles, they can easily made me bored and having my face pretty much blank.

The story is unoriginal, no effort, no logic and the jokes are barely jokes to cashing in over Patriots’ domination in 2010s.

The Presentation

The budget of this movie is surprisingly cheap as $28M, which im pretty sure the movie’s budget is more on NFL placement.

The filming location are pretty nice, which the location I know is they filmed in Houston, Texas, the location that was used for SuperBowl LI back in 2017. While the other location outside of SuperBowl, like Lou’s home and the retirement facility, its hard to tell where it takes place on, so my only guess is its in New Hampshire.

But one thing that I appreciated is to bringing us to the festival of SuperBowl like going into NFL Experience (which its like a convention with NFL themes) with merchandise, some games or hanging out with the guests, as well as bring us to the tailgate parties (because ‘Murica!) and into NRG Stadium (the stadium that SuperBowl LI took place on). It makes me wish if I wanna buy ticket to America in which states we wanna going to SuperBowl in the future.

However, the positive is coming to end of its presentation that everything else is rather lifeless, speaking of “lifeless”, there’s one moment that if Lou is lost, she got herself motivated from either Tom Brady in a TV screen in interview or even Brady’s bobble head (ohh god…!). And don’t even get me started when Maura entered the poker scene where we sees the heads being replaced by Guy Fieri. God the cringe is really bothering me…! Though the filming of Football game in SuperBowl is not bad, whether or not if some moments are faithful or just plain made-up, though I just wish it focuses on the game with some dramatic moments than a near wasted opportunity, I know its a movie, but I just wish if they wanna teaching us when it comes to football games, even though there are plenty of football movies out there.

The presentation may look not bad, but it could also be cringe with some moments and its safe to say that, again, the budget is more about NFL placements, like it feels like a movie with NFL advertisements.

The Characters

I think it safe to say that the characters in this movie are nothing but a generic personality, aside with some good acting.

Starting with Lou (played by Lily Tomlin), the main leader of her friends for the trip to SuperBowl thanks to being a hardcore fangirl of Tom Brady in Patriots. She’s… Just an elder lady for being overly obsession to one and one idol only, Tom Brady, I mean, I get she’s meant to be related that we like to see celeb in person, but not when we wanna broke in along with the mind of “no means yes”. But to be fair, il give a credit for Lily Tomlin, she did a good job of acting, its just that she deserves better than being in this film (Get use for the latter part).

Next we have Trish (played by Jane Fonda), who’s a former celeb when she used to be actress on TV around in the 70s, I think. I find her ok, while I appreciated her for being a former celeb, but she’s obviously using herself as a distraction for anyone who’re recognized her, at least it makes more sense than Karen does the “Don’t tell me what to do, cause im prettier than you!” excuse. While il give her a credit she definitely has some memorable movies that her character fits her, but she deserves better than being in this film.

After that, we have Maura (played by Rita Moreno), a retired lady who’s meant to be stay in retirement facility, but as far as I know, all she wants is money to betting anyone to win a money, including one point, going into gambling. Yeah, something tells me that Lou shouldn’t befriend with one person with possibly having a gambling and betting addiction. Though i’ve nothing against Rita, I think she did an ok, but she, you guessed it, deserves better than being in this film.

And lastly is Betty (played by Sally Field, aka Aunt May in The Amazing Spider-Man, and aka Miranda Hillard from Mrs. Doubtfire), she… I think she’s a bookworm in this movie that she likes to read and writing fanfic. She’s just a typical bookworm for her attention to Patriots. Though in fairness that I actually know her from previous movies, but like always, she deserves better than being in this film.

As for the rest of the movie, they’re just there for plot convenient or random purpose of cameos, there’s Gugu (played by Billy Porter) who’s the lead dancer for Lady Gaga (too bad Gaga herself didn’t make in the movie, guess its no wonder why’s gonna be another Harley Quinn in Joker’s sequel), Dan (played by Harry Hamlin) is a retired football player, Guy Fieri playing as the host of eating contest, and some actual retired Patriots players like Danny Amendola, Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski and the number 1 Patriots player himself, Tom Brady.

Oh btw, while Guy did a good work of his acting (since he’s a great TV personality), but when it comes to former NFL players’ acting, while I know Gronk is doing fine, but some are just there for check, as for Tom Brady himself, he’s more like there for act like either motivational in Lou’s mind or just… Well, curious or confused to meet our main ladies.

The characters in this movie are nothing but a pile list of generics while I respect to some familiar actors, but celeb cameos, while one of them have fun, but some felt like they’re forced.

And now for my final opinion of this film.

Overall, 80 for Brady is just flat, boringly flat to be precise…!

The writing’s logic don’t make any sense, the story is a complete ripped, presentation is just ok, some actors are good, but the characters are just plain generic. Even though I may like some presentation and give credit for the actors and celeb cameos, but they deserve better than that.

This is the movie I was curious about, but in the end, I felt like I’ve been wasted my time to see this boring movie with Zero Effort. I mean I get its Tom Brady’s attempt to make this movie as a producer, but personally, this is like the second worst things that Tom Brady has ever done since deflating the balls to win (aka Deflategate).

And honestly, I don’t think I can calling it as a Movie, it feels more like an advertisement of NFL that you’d rather buy ticket to see in the game or in SuperBowl.

If you’re a fan of NFL or a hardcore fan of New England Patriots, well, im sure you might like this movie, but for me, I feel like im a fan of Atlanta Falcon getting sucker punched by Patriots fanboys by wasting my time and my money to watching this borefest. Otherwise, stay away from this movie, its not worth for your time.

For my rating, im easily gonna giving it a 3/10, as well as being earned a Dumpster Fire of Failure.

So this ends of my movie review, if you guys have your opinion or any suggestions, let me know at comment bellow and support me on KO-FI.com/blackevil.

Thanks for reading, and im Anthony, signing out.