Monday Night Mayhem (2002)

Sadly Over-hyped

I wanted to but couldn't!

Awesome Movie

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

I remember settling down in front of the TV on Monday nights, just waiting for that voice to introduce "Monday Night Football" - "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, this is Howard Cosell." As this movie pointed out, Cosell in fact was "Monday Night Football" - without him, as was pointed out in this movie, you didn't have "Monday Night Football," you had football on Monday night. "Monday Night Mayhem" is an expose type movie, showing us the mostly unsavoury events that went on behind the scenes: the tension in the broadcast booth, director Chet Forte's gambling problems and womanizing. Some of it was interesting, but I really didn't find most of this to be particularly engrossing.Perhaps the problem was John Turturro as Cosell. I'm almost tempted to let him off the hook. Who could really play Cosell - the look, the voice? But then again I've seen "Ali" and Jon Voight's uncanny ability to capture Cosell. Turturro just didn't do it. He never came across - to me at least - as Howard Cosell; he was always an actor trying to be Howard Cosell (and trying too hard at times in my opinion.) The same can be said for those portraying the rest of the on-air MNF cast. Kevin Anderson as Frank Gifford, Brad Beyer as Don Meredith, Chad Coleman as O.J. Simpson, Shuler Hensley as Keith Jackson - none of them seemed like the real thing. That just threw me off too much.I thought some of the insights into Cosell were interesting. Cosell comes across as surprisingly insecure, not just wanting the approval of his superiors (especially Roone Arledge, played by John Heard) but needing to be told that he has their approval. In an interesting balancing act, Cosell also comes across as arrogant - disdainful of his "jock" broadcast colleagues, and even of "Monday Night Football" itself, believing himself really more suited to more serious news reporting.There were some interesting aspects to this movie, but I never really thought it found its footing and it seemed to lack any real consistency. I'd call it a mediocre movie at best.4/10

This has got to be John Turturro's best role so far. He was actually believable as Cosell. It shows how Cosell made Monday Night football as much as everyone hated him. I remember some of those games and comments. He was always a guy full of surprise comments and an articulate verbal arsenal. They made Frank Gifford look really stupid in this movie. I also think they made a big mistake when they did not resign Cosell. They left out the famous speech between Cosell and Meredith. This is a must see for any Monday Night football fan. 8/10

To expound or pontificate without just and moral actuality sustained with guarded malice and remorse would be an injustice, disservice and undeniable shame. This is a very good TNT production that is not afraid to show the back stabbing, bitching, pompous ego clashing and 'money talking' maneuvers that made Monday Night Football a revered TV institution. Putting three men in a booth to call a football game was thought to be foolish, haphazard and ratings suicide. Just getting the right trio was not the easiest thing to do, let alone an event that would flourish without its own inherit complications on, off and behind the camera. The focal character from which this story radiates is that of Howard Cosell, portrayed excellently by John Turturro, who never played football, but could make you believe he invented the game. Cosell with his talented brand of commentary seemed well versed and articulate of any and every topic one wanted to entertain.There are other notable characters that have major parts in this mayhem that began in 1970. There is football heroes Frank Gifford(played by Kevin Anderson)and 'Dandy' Don Meredith(Brad Beyer). John Heard seems flawless as major contributor good and bad, producer Roone Arledge. Outstanding is Nicholas Turturro as director Chet Forte. Forte's story alone is like opening a can of worms. In smaller rolls, but not taking away from their actual importance to Monday Night Football are Shuler Hensley playing a disgruntled Keith Jackson; Michael McGrath as the stoic Jim McKay; Zak Orth portraying Don Ohlmeyer; and Chad Coleman as O.J. Simpson.High fives to director Ernest R. Dickerson and of course the Turturro brothers. Even if you were not a faithful follower of Monday Night Football or even a sports fan in general you should still find this interesting. Hardcore fans and armchair quarterbacks can use this as entertaining fodder to sustain the memory of the beast. Monday Night Football was mayhem.

A candid behind-the-scenes look at Monday Night Football from its infancy, "Mayhem" exploits the trials and tribulations of what has become an institution for NFL fans the world over. Being a football fan, if you take this movie at face value like I did, you can appreciate what the viewer doesn't see. This movie delves into the conflicts between on-air and off-air personalities well beyond what you may have read in the newspapers. However, as a movie fan, I was disappointed at the overall acting. Although a finely written script, I had to do my best to drown out John Turturro's poor imitation of Howard Cosell, to appreciate the unparalleled verbiage that only Cosell could provide. Same is true for those imitating Frank Gifford, Keith Jackson and "Dandy" Don Meredith. All in all, I gave this movie 7 stars.