“80 for Brady” saves the industry of cinema
Released on Feb. 3, “80 for Brady,” a comedy starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Rita Moreno and Sally Field, capitalized on the hype for this year’s Super Bowl by transporting audiences back in time to the 2017 Super Bowl between the Patriots and the Falcons. The film sees the journey of four old women who are obsessed with Tom Brady to go see Super Bowl LI live, with constant hijinx occurring all around them. This movie’s target demographic is exactly who you expect: old people. It is a comedy specifically designed to appeal to and make old people laugh. Needless to say, I adored it.
From the first trailer, “80 for Brady” seemed like a complete joke. It felt like it would be nothing more than a lame comedy starring some famous old women, and to a certain extent, it was. However, that is not a detractor. There is a certain charm to being lame, and this film fully captures the endearing nature of acting corny. All the jokes are scientifically engineered to appeal to old people and old people alone, but that doesn’t take away the comedic effect. There were many times that I caught myself in a gleeful chuckle over something utterly ridiculous that the four women would say. I spent most of my viewing experience, however, with a relaxed smile on my face.
It is an effortlessly charming movie, and I believe that some of that is owed to its cast. I must preface that there aren’t really any “great” performances in the movie, as in, I was never persuaded into believing that these characters were anything more than the actresses having fun on a movie set. However, that is just fine for this film. Watching old women just enjoy each other’s company was enough to satisfy my needs, as it brought a consistent joy that warmed my heart. In a way, it kind of feels like because the four starring women have had such long and illustrious careers, they’re now able to just kick back and be in something fun. Tom Brady also plays himself in this film, and while his performance isn’t amazing, his appearance is genuine. He produced the movie and seems to actually care a lot about it. For what reason, I could not tell you, but he does seem to have a true passion for this project.
Despite feeling like a 90-minute commercial for the Super Bowl, it never really loses its charm. Many scenes unfold in a conventional way, but the fact that it is the old women in the situation makes it ten times more endearing. It is shot in the flattest and most boring way possible, which in any other film would be a massive problem. “80 for Brady,” however, is in a league of its own in terms of film, meaning that the filmmaking itself does not matter. As long as it is a cute and enjoyable movie, I will be on board to see the hijinx of these old women no matter what technical elements are lacking.
I laughed. I cried. I cheered. “80 for Brady” is what audiences have been craving for years. If you go to the cinema soon, don’t see the same superhero garbage that studios continue to shove down our throats. See a film that inspires people to be kinder, and conjures waves of smiles and applause. I was entranced by “80 for Brady,” and I believe that it can save cinema as a whole.
