Any Given Sunday is a 1999 American drama film directed by
Oliver StoneWilliam Oliver Stone is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Stone became well known in the late 1980s and the early 1990s for directing a series of films about the Vietnam War, for which he had previously participated as an infantry soldier. His work frequently focuses on...
depicting a fictional professional
American footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team. The film features an
ensemble castAn ensemble cast is made up of cast members in which the principal actors and performers are assigned roughly equal amounts of importance and screen time in a dramatic production. This kind of casting became more popular in television series because it allows flexibility for writers to focus on...
, consisting of
Al PacinoAlfredo James "Al" Pacino is an American film and stage actor and director. He is famous for playing mobsters, including Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, Tony Montana in Scarface, Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice in Dick Tracy and Carlito Brigante in Carlito's Way, though he has also appeared...
,
Cameron DiazCameron Michelle Diaz is an American actress and former model. She became famous during the 1990s with roles in the movies The Mask, My Best Friend's Wedding, and There's Something About Mary. Other high-profile credits include the two Charlie's Angels films, voicing the character Princess Fiona...
,
Dennis QuaidDennis William Quaid is an American actor known for his comedic and dramatic roles. First gaining widespread attention in the 1980s, his career rebounded in the 1990s after he overcame an addiction to drugs and an eating disorder...
,
Jamie FoxxEric Marlon Bishop , professionally known as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, singer-songwriter, stand-up comedian, and talk radio host. As an actor, his work in the film Ray earned him the Academy Award and BAFTA Award for Best Actor as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a...
,
James WoodsJames Howard Woods is an American film, stage and television actor. Woods is known for starring in critically acclaimed films such as Once Upon a Time in America, Salvador, Nixon, Ghosts of Mississippi, Casino, and in the television legal drama Shark. He has won three Emmy Awards, and has gained...
,
LL Cool JJames Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
,
Matthew ModineMatthew Avery Modine is an award-winning American actor. His film roles include Private Joker in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket, the title character in Alan Parker's Birdy, high school wrestler Louden Swain in Vision Quest, football star turned spy Alec McCall in Funky Monkey and the...
,
John C. McGinleyJohn Christopher McGinley is an American actor, most notable for his roles as Perry Cox in Scrubs, Bob Slydell in Office Space, Sergeant Red O'Neill in Oliver Stone's Platoon and Marv in Stone's Wall Street. He has also written and produced for television and film...
,
Charlton HestonCharlton Heston was an American actor of film, theatre and television. Heston is known for heroic roles in films such as The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor, El Cid, and Planet of the Apes...
,
Ann-MargretAnn-Margret Olsson is a Swedish-American actress, singer and dancer whose professional name is Ann-Margret. She became famous for her starring roles in Bye Bye Birdie, Viva Las Vegas, The Cincinnati Kid, Carnal Knowledge, and Tommy...
,
Lauren HollyLauren Michael Holly is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Deputy Sheriff Maxine Stewart in the TV series Picket Fences, as Mary Swanson in the 1994 film Dumb & Dumber, and as Jenny Shepard on the TV series NCIS. She was married to comic actor Jim Carrey from 1996 to...
,
Bill BellamyWilliam "Bill" Bellamy is an American actor and stand-up comedian. He currently resides in California. Bellamy first gained national notoriety on HBO's Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam, where he is credited for creating or uttering before a televised audience, the phrase "booty call", described as...
,
Lela RochonLela Rochon is an American actress who is best known for her role as Robin Stokes in the movie Waiting to Exhale....
,
Aaron EckhartAaron Edward Eckhart is an American film and stage actor. Born in California, he moved to England at the age of 13, when his father relocated the family. Several years later, he began his acting career by performing in school plays, before moving to Sydney, Australia, for his high school senior year...
,
Elizabeth BerkleyElizabeth Berkley is an American television, film, and theatre actress. Berkley's most notable roles were in the television series Saved by the Bell, as brainy feminist Jessie Spano, and the 1995 Paul Verhoeven film Showgirls, as exotic dancer Nomi Malone.-Early life:Berkley was born and raised...
,
Marty WrightMartin "Marty" Wright is an American professional wrestler and actor best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name The Boogeyman.-Tough Enough:...
, and legendary NFL players
Jim BrownJames Nathaniel "Jim" Brown is an American former professional football player who has also made his mark as an actor. He is best known for his exceptional and record-setting nine-year career as a running back for the NFL Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965. In 2002, he was named by Sporting News...
and
Lawrence TaylorLawrence Julius Taylor , nicknamed "L.T.", is a Hall of Fame former American football player. Taylor played his entire professional career as a linebacker for the New York Giants in the National Football League...
.
The film also featured many American football players including
Dick ButkusRichard Marvin "Dick" Butkus is a former American football player for the Chicago Bears. He was drafted in 1965 and he is also widely regarded as one of the best and most durable linebackers of all time. Butkus starred as a football player for the University of Illinois and the Chicago Bears. He...
, Y.A. Tittle,
Pat ToomayPatrick Jay Toomay was an American football defensive end who played 10 years in the National Football League for four different teams: the Dallas Cowboys, the Buffalo Bills, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Oakland Raiders...
,
Warren MoonHarold Warren Moon is a former American professional gridiron football quarterback who played for the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos and the National Football League's Houston Oilers, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs...
,
Johnny UnitasJohn Constantine Unitas , known as Johnny Unitas or "Johnny U", and nicknamed "The Golden Arm", was a professional American football player in the 1950s through the 1970s, spending the majority of his career with the Baltimore Colts. He was a record-setting quarterback, and the National Football...
,
Ricky WattersRichard "Ricky" James Watters is a former American football running back who played for the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, and the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. Watters played college football at the University of Notre Dame where he played wide receiver on the...
,
Emmitt SmithEmmitt James Smith, III is a retired American football player who was a running back in the National Football League for fifteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Smith played college football for the University of Florida, where he was an All-American; thereafter, he played professionally for...
and
Terrell OwensTerrell Owens is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Owens has been one of the dominant receivers of his era...
as well as coach
Barry SwitzerBarry Switzer is a former football coach, active in the college and professional ranks between 1962 and 1997. He has one of the highest winning percentages of any college football coach in history, and is one of only two head coaches to win both a college football national championship and a...
.
Plot
The Miami Sharks, a once-great American football team, are now in turmoil and struggling to make the AFFA (Associated Football Franchises of America) playoffs in the (then-future) year of 2001; the film was released in 1999. They are coached by Tony D'Amato who is a thirty year veteran.
During the first game shown, which is the thirteenth game of the season, both the starting quarterback Jack "Cap" Rooney (
Dennis QuaidDennis William Quaid is an American actor known for his comedic and dramatic roles. First gaining widespread attention in the 1980s, his career rebounded in the 1990s after he overcame an addiction to drugs and an eating disorder...
) and the second-string quarterback Tyler Cherubini are injured and forced to leave the game due to poor offensive line play in blitz pickup. (This leads to a recurring theme that "on any given Sunday, anything can happen.") The ailing and increasingly desperate Sharks are forced to call upon third-string quarterback and former seventh-round draft pick Willie Beamen (
Jamie FoxxEric Marlon Bishop , professionally known as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, singer-songwriter, stand-up comedian, and talk radio host. As an actor, his work in the film Ray earned him the Academy Award and BAFTA Award for Best Actor as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a...
). Beamen is visibly nervous and makes a number of errors illustrating his lack of knowledge regarding the team's playbook. During one play he lines up under the guard instead of the center and, later in the game, he audibles to a play which does not exist. He throws up in the huddle, which begins a ritual that he follows every game, reminiscent of Hall of Fame
Buffalo BillsThe Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
quarterback
Jim KellyJames Edward Kelly is a former American football quarterback in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills and the USFL's Houston Gamblers....
. While the Sharks lose this game by a small margin, Beamen plays well and gains confidence.
During the next game Beamen begins to get comfortable with the game and quickly learns the offense. However, he dislikes the Sharks' conservative offense and much to the dismay of Coach Tony D'Amato (
Al PacinoAlfredo James "Al" Pacino is an American film and stage actor and director. He is famous for playing mobsters, including Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, Tony Montana in Scarface, Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice in Dick Tracy and Carlito Brigante in Carlito's Way, though he has also appeared...
,)Beaman begins to change the plays in the huddle, not realizing the disrespect this shows to his coaches. Beamen displays his raw athletic talent and starts to run and pass extremely successfully and leads the sharks to the playoffs after winning the last three of the last four games of the season, bringing the Sharks to 9-7 on the year. Beaman's new found success results in a growing
narcissismNarcissism is a term with a wide range of meanings, depending on whether it is used to describe a central concept of psychoanalytic theory, a mental illness, a social or cultural problem, or simply a personality trait...
and arrogance. He becomes "Steamin'" Willie Beamen, the new poster boy for the AFFA, and receives numerous lucrative advertisement deals, including a music video.
His new-found success, and inability to handle it, leads to tension within the Sharks locker room and the front office. D'Amato confronts Beamen to ask why he has been changing the plays, to which Beaman responds selfishly. After displaying to D'Amato that Beamen is not capable of leading the team, D'Amato tells Beamen that it is likely that 'Cap' Rooney will probably be fit and available for the playoffs, demoting Beamen back to the bench. Beaman fails to understand the team concept as he is filled with self-pity about how his career has been until he got a chance to play. A rift forms between Beaman and D'Amato after D'Amato tells him just how far he still has to go to fulfill his potential and lead the team. After learning of his demotion he alienates the rest of the team, to the point that he gets his car sawed in half at a party, and the Sharks are blown out at home in a game that could have given the Sharks home field advantage in the playoffs. Beaman contemplates and amends his selfish behavior.
In the final game shown, Miami manages a come-from-behind win in the final seconds against the Dallas Knights, winning the first round of the playoffs. The final game sees Cap return to start as quarterback and he plays strongly until being injured by a hit. His replacement, Beaman, apologizes for his actions to the team in the huddle on the game-winning drive. Off-screen, Miami beats Minnesota for their conference championship and then loses to San Francisco in the Pantheon Cup Championship 32-13 (reminiscent of
Super Bowl XIXSuper Bowl XIX was an American football game played on January 20, 1985 at Stanford Stadium, on the campus of Stanford University in Stanford, California, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1984 regular season...
).
At D'Amato's final press conference as head coach, all feuds have been resolved or at least put on hold and he leaves on a positive note, being thanked by owner Christina Pagniacci (
Cameron DiazCameron Michelle Diaz is an American actress and former model. She became famous during the 1990s with roles in the movies The Mask, My Best Friend's Wedding, and There's Something About Mary. Other high-profile credits include the two Charlie's Angels films, voicing the character Princess Fiona...
) and the media for his contributions to the team. D'Amato is then expected to announce his retirement, but then drops a bombshell and announces that he has been hired as Head Coach and General Manager of the expansion team Albuquerque Aztecs. He adds that he signed Willie Beamen as his starting quarterback and franchise player, after the Sharks refused to extend Beamen's expiring contract mid-season. As the scene ends, Christina and the other executives are angrily asking Crozier how he could have let Beamen finish the season without re-signing him to a longer contract for the Sharks.
Despite the initial hysteria among the media and owners, the general consensus is that this is the best solution because D'Amato and Crozier (backed by Christina) cannot co-exist. This would also possibly allow Cap Rooney to remain Miami's starting quarterback for the next season and retire on his own terms, instead of risking being demoted to backup.
Cast
Al PacinoAlfredo James "Al" Pacino is an American film and stage actor and director. He is famous for playing mobsters, including Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, Tony Montana in Scarface, Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice in Dick Tracy and Carlito Brigante in Carlito's Way, though he has also appeared...
as
Tony D'Amato – The Head Coach of the Miami Sharks. Having held his position for decades and given much autonomy by the elder Pagniacci, "Tony D" is widely respected for leading his men to great successes, including two Pantheon Cups, the Championship for the film's professional football league. He gave most of his time to the team, and it led him to lose touch with and become estranged from his wife and children. However, despite his legacy, D'Amato's traditional and old-fashioned methods have come under fire for poor results during his last seasons, including missing the playoffs several times. During the last few years, being bitter that he was never promoted to general manager, he also resents the hands-on approach or "interference" of Christina Pagniacci, who succeeded her father Arturo as team owner. The character was inspired by
Tom LandryThomas Wade "Tom" Landry was an American football player and coach. He is ranked as one of the greatest and most innovative coaches in National Football League history, creating many new formations and methods...
who was the longtime coach of the
Dallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
. His last name comes from legendary boxing trainer Constantine "Cus" D'Amato.
Cameron DiazCameron Michelle Diaz is an American actress and former model. She became famous during the 1990s with roles in the movies The Mask, My Best Friend's Wedding, and There's Something About Mary. Other high-profile credits include the two Charlie's Angels films, voicing the character Princess Fiona...
as
Christina Pagniacci – The Owner and General Manager of the Miami Sharks who inherited the team from her father Arturo, she is young and attractive and boasts a Cornell MBA. Given the team's poor results in the last few years, which she attributes to Coach D'Amato's "old-school methods", she attempts to take a more hands-on approach to the team, including bringing in an innovative Offensive Coordinator Nick Crozier. She has hinted several times that D'Amato will not return after his contract expires, adding to his distractions. She also threatens several times to move the franchise if the city refuses to build a new stadium, causing a confrontation with the AFFA Commissioner and the Mayor of Miami. Her character is based upon
Jerry JonesJerral "Jerry" Wayne Jones is the owner and general manager of the NFL team, the Dallas Cowboys.-Early life:Jones was born in Los Angeles, California. His family moved to North Little Rock, Arkansas when he was an infant. Jones was a star running back at North Little Rock High School...
and
Georgia FrontiereGeorgia Frontiere was the majority owner and chairman of the St. Louis Rams football team and the most prominent female owner in a league historically dominated by males....
.
Dennis QuaidDennis William Quaid is an American actor known for his comedic and dramatic roles. First gaining widespread attention in the 1980s, his career rebounded in the 1990s after he overcame an addiction to drugs and an eating disorder...
as
Jack "Cap" Rooney – The starting
quarterbackQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
& Captain of the Miami Sharks. Seen like a son to Coach D'Amato, the two have been credited with the team's greatest on-field successes. However, Rooney is now an aging veteran who is losing motivation and faces conflicts with team personnel. New owner Christina Pagniacci wants to dump him, although he remains the favorite of D'Amato who insists that Rooney's departure would never be ceremonial. Relations have soured between Rooney and his wife Cindy (Lauren Holly) who consistently goads him on without sympathy to his physical or mental situation, mercilessly browbeating him when he even mentions retiring (it is implied that Cindy married Jack only because he was a well-paid athlete and, she has grown accustomed to their lifestyle and her position as Quarterback's Wife and is unwilling to lose the social standing). With the team in a mid-season slump, he is injured during a game and is replaced but is determined to make a comeback. His perseverance pays off as he recovers in time for the first round of the playoffs to earn the start, where he plays well until suffering a hard hit.
James WoodsJames Howard Woods is an American film, stage and television actor. Woods is known for starring in critically acclaimed films such as Once Upon a Time in America, Salvador, Nixon, Ghosts of Mississippi, Casino, and in the television legal drama Shark. He has won three Emmy Awards, and has gained...
as
Dr. Harvey Mandrake – The team physician for the Miami Sharks. He is a crooked Doctor who risks the injury of players to enable the team to have a better shot at winning, often at the direction of Christina Pagniacci. He is later fired after his practices are discovered by the team internist.
Jamie FoxxEric Marlon Bishop , professionally known as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, singer-songwriter, stand-up comedian, and talk radio host. As an actor, his work in the film Ray earned him the Academy Award and BAFTA Award for Best Actor as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a...
as
"Steamin" Willie Beamen – The third-string quarterback for the Miami Sharks who takes over as starter after an injury to Rooney, and then an injury to the backup quarterback. Though surprisingly successful, Beamen causes tension among staff and teammates, as he frequently changes the plays the Coach calls, or just calls his own. He begins a singing career and even asks owner Christina Pagniacci for a date when she enters a postgame locker room full of mostly naked players. Beamen later matures, listens to his coaches and teammates, and is inspired by "Cap" Rooney's gutsy performance in the Sharks' first playoff game.
LL Cool JJames Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
as
Julian "J-Man" Washington – The starting running back for the Miami Sharks. He is a very good back but becomes increasingly angry at Beamen for his cockiness and tendencies to call plays away from him. He is motivated by incentive clauses in his contract, and Coach D'Amato refers to him as a "merc" (mercenary) "who will be gone before next season."
Lawrence TaylorLawrence Julius Taylor , nicknamed "L.T.", is a Hall of Fame former American football player. Taylor played his entire professional career as a linebacker for the New York Giants in the National Football League...
as
Luther "Shark" Lavay – The Captain of the Miami Sharks' defense. Mandrake has concealed that "Shark" is suffering from a previous injury, a broken neck that did not heal properly. If he suffers a serious hit again, he may be killed or permanently disabled. The team's intern Doctor informs him and D'Amato of the situation, and "Shark" says he will lose over a million dollars if he does not make his incentive stats if he retires as the intern doctor suggests. He also has an earlier confrontation with Willie Beamen over the role of offense vs. defense in football (which culminates with him cutting Beamen's
Chevrolet SuburbanChevrolet offered a station wagon body, built on the 1/2 ton truck frame. This model was specifically built for National Guard units and Civilian Conservation Corps units. Much of the body was constructed from wood, and could seat up to eight occupants....
in half with a circular saw during a party when fed up with Beamen's attitude). He later gives the younger player a quiet but impassioned speech about playing with 100% emotion.
Jim BrownJames Nathaniel "Jim" Brown is an American former professional football player who has also made his mark as an actor. He is best known for his exceptional and record-setting nine-year career as a running back for the NFL Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965. In 2002, he was named by Sporting News...
as
Montezuma Monroe – The Defensive Co-ordinator of the Miami Sharks. He is vocal and brings high intensity to the defense and to the rest of the team in general. A longtime friend of Tony D'Amato's, the Coach personally confides in Montezuma several times. Monroe states at one point he would like to return to high school coaching where the game is "pure".
Aaron EckhartAaron Edward Eckhart is an American film and stage actor. Born in California, he moved to England at the age of 13, when his father relocated the family. Several years later, he began his acting career by performing in school plays, before moving to Sydney, Australia, for his high school senior year...
as
Nick Crozier – The Offensive Co-ordinator of the Miami Sharks. Nick is an offensive guru brought in from Minnesota by Christina Pagniacci. Young and tech-savvy (making use of a laptop computer while calling plays), he is highly critical of Tony's old fashioned offensive play calling, Willie's changing the plays in the huddle and Julian's playing for contract incentives. Despite the tension between himself and Head Coach D'Amato, the latter recognizes Crozier's talent, and he is named D'Amato's successor, after D'Amato departs to lead an expansion franchise in New Mexico.
Matthew ModineMatthew Avery Modine is an award-winning American actor. His film roles include Private Joker in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket, the title character in Alan Parker's Birdy, high school wrestler Louden Swain in Vision Quest, football star turned spy Alec McCall in Funky Monkey and the...
as
Dr. Oliver "Ollie" Powers – The intern Doctor for the team. He discovers Harvey covering for players who are suffering from near-career-ending injuries but are overdosing on painkillers, steroids and hormones to cover the pain. He faces his own dilemma in the need to relieve the players' pain vs. prescribing too much medication at the insistence of the addicted players.
John C. McGinleyJohn Christopher McGinley is an American actor, most notable for his roles as Perry Cox in Scrubs, Bob Slydell in Office Space, Sergeant Red O'Neill in Oliver Stone's Platoon and Marv in Stone's Wall Street. He has also written and produced for television and film...
as
Jack Rose – An abrasive and prominent sports reporter with his own cable show, who displays an incredible distaste for all things D'Amato. This leads to D'Amato physically assaulting Rose near the end of the regular season, but no charges are pressed after D'Amato makes a public apology. Rose is a a thinly disguised impression of
Jim RomeJim Rome is an American sports radio talk show host syndicated by Premiere Radio Networks, a subsidiary of Clear Channel Communications....
.
Development
Oliver Stone developed a script called
Monday Night written by
Jamie WilliamsJamie Earl Williams , is a former professional American football tight end who played for twelve seasons in the National Football League, mainly for the Houston Oilers and the San Francisco 49ers.-Early years:...
, a former
tight endThe tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
for the
San Francisco 49ersThe San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, and
Richard WeinerRichard Weiner is an American author, lecturer, lexicographer, and public relations consultant.-Life and work:Weiner was born in New York City on May 10, 1927. He received B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Wisconsin. A science writer and broadcaster, he produced the first radio...
, a sports journalist. Stone separately acquired the
spec scriptA spec script, also known as a speculative screenplay, is a non-commissioned unsolicited screenplay. It is usually written by a screenwriter who hopes to have the script optioned and eventually purchased by a producer, production company, or studio....
On Any Given Sunday, by
John LoganJohn David Logan is an American screenwriter, playwright and film producer.-Personal life:Logan was born in San Diego on September 24, 1961. His parents emigrated to the US from Northern Ireland via Canada. The youngest of three children, he has an older brother and sister...
. Stone later amalgamated a third screenplay,
Playing Hurt by Daniel Pyne, into the project.
As of May 1, 1999, the screenplay's cover page listed the following writers: original draft by Jamie Williams & Richard Weiner, John Logan, Daniel Pyne; subsequent revisions by
Gary RossGary Ross is an American writer, director, and actor. He is best known for directing Pleasantville and Seabiscuit, both of which featured Tobey Maguire in the lead role...
; revisions by Raynold Gideon &
Bruce A. EvansBruce Anslie Evans is an American film director, producer and screenwriter best known for his work on Stand by Me , Jungle 2 Jungle and Mr...
; revisions by John Logan; revisions by Lisa Amsterdam &
Robert HuizengaRobert Huizenga, M.D., also known as Dr. H on the television show The Biggest Loser, is a former team physician for the Los Angeles Raiders...
; latest revisions by Oliver Stone.
The
Writers Guild of AmericaThe Writers Guild of America is a generic term referring to the joint efforts of two different US labor unions:* The Writers Guild of America, East , representing TV and film writers East of the Mississippi....
ultimately awarded screenplay credit to Logan and Stone, with "story" credit to Pyne and Logan. Williams and Weiner went uncredited for their original screenplay, but were credited for their work on the film as technical consultants.
The screenplay was also based in part on the book
You're Okay, It's Just a Bruise: A Doctor's Sideline Secrets by Robert Huizenga. Huizenga was the intern doctor for the L.A. Raiders in their 1980s heyday, working under Dr. Rosenfield, who dismissed many players' injuries with the phrase, "You're okay, it's just a bruise." James Woods' character was based on Rosenfield, and his first diagnosis of "Cap" Rooney's career-threatening injury at the beginning of the film is "you're okay, it's just a bruise." Huizenga left the Raiders in the early 1990s, disgusted at the way the medical advice was kept from players and Rosenfield being allowed to continue treating them after several mishaps, one of which is closely mirrored in the film—Shark's neck injury and risk of sudden death, based on the real-life
Mike HardenMichael Harden is a former professional American football player who played safety from 1980 to 1990 for the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Raiders. Harden was selected by the Broncos in the 5th round of the 1980 NFL Draft. During his 11-year NFL career, he intercepted 38 passes for 663 yards and...
case.
Casting
Director Oliver Stone's first two choices to play Tony D'Amato were Al Pacino and
Robert De NiroRobert De Niro, Jr. is an American actor, director and producer. His first major film roles were in Bang the Drum Slowly and Mean Streets, both in 1973...
. Although De Niro declined the role, Pacino had already accepted.
Henry RollinsHenry Rollins is an American singer-songwriter, spoken word artist, writer, comedian, publisher, actor, and radio DJ....
was offered a role as a football player but turned it down as he felt he did not have the size to make the portrayal believable.
Sean "P. Diddy" CombsSean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally...
was cast as Willie Beamen, but dropped out amidst rumors he could not throw a football convincingly. Publicly Combs dropped off the project because of scheduling conflicts with his recording career. According to Cuba Gooding Jr., he met with Oliver Stone about playing the role of Willie Beamen but Stone turned Gooding down because he had already played a football player in
Jerry MaguireJerry Maguire is a 1996 American romantic comedy-drama film starring Tom Cruise and Cuba Gooding, Jr. It was written, co-produced, and directed by Cameron Crowe...
(1996).
Five NFL Hall of Fame Players made cameo appearances as opposing head coaches.
Bob St. ClairRobert Bruce St. Clair, nicknamed "The Geek" is a former San Francisco American football player known for fine play and eating raw beef. Because of his eccentricities, his teammates nicknamed him "The Geek".St...
, with Minnesota, the first game. Y.A. Tittle, for Chicago, the second game.
Dick ButkusRichard Marvin "Dick" Butkus is a former American football player for the Chicago Bears. He was drafted in 1965 and he is also widely regarded as one of the best and most durable linebackers of all time. Butkus starred as a football player for the University of Illinois and the Chicago Bears. He...
, with California, the road game.
Warren MoonHarold Warren Moon is a former American professional gridiron football quarterback who played for the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos and the National Football League's Houston Oilers, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs...
, with New York in the rain soaked game. And finally,
Johnny UnitasJohn Constantine Unitas , known as Johnny Unitas or "Johnny U", and nicknamed "The Golden Arm", was a professional American football player in the 1950s through the 1970s, spending the majority of his career with the Baltimore Colts. He was a record-setting quarterback, and the National Football...
with Dallas, in the finale.
Jim Caviezel played Tony D'Amato's estranged son, but his scenes were cut. They can be seen in the extras of the Oliver Stone Collection DVD.
Tom SizemoreThomas Edward "Tom" Sizemore, Jr. is an American film and television actor and producer. He is known for his roles in films such as Saving Private Ryan, Strange Days, Pearl Harbor, Heat and Black Hawk Down....
also had a role in the film, but it too was cut.
Principal photography
The film was shot in
Miami, FloridaMiami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
and
Irving, TexasIrving is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within Dallas County. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city population was 216,290. Irving is within the Dallas–Plano–Irving metropolitan division of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area, designated...
. Miami's
Orange BowlThe Orange Bowl, formerly Burdine Stadium, was an outdoor athletic stadium in Miami, Florida, west of downtown in Little Havana. Considered a landmark, it was the home stadium for the Miami Hurricanes college football team...
stadium represents the home of the fictitious American football team, the Miami Sharks. When the team traveled to California, the stadium used was actually Pro Player Stadium, which is located in Miami.
Texas StadiumTexas Stadium was a football stadium in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The stadium opened on September 17, 1971.Built to replace the aging Cotton Bowl, it was the home field of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and had a seating capacity of 65,675...
is used for the home of the fictitious Dallas Knights.
Director Oliver Stone requested but did not receive the
National Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's permission to use real NFL team logos and stadiums for the film. As a result the fictional Associated Football Franchises of America (AFFA) was created (not to be confused with the real AFA). In the movie, the fictitious AFFA apparently exists alongside the real-life NFL, since the
Miami DolphinsThe Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
are mentioned.
For the scenes during a football game, production asked local schools to participate as extras for the film, including Lake Stevens Middle School in Miami, Florida. For each shot the crowd was asked to move around so that each section looked filled, in empty seats cardboard cutouts were placed in seats with balloons attached to them so that they would seem in motion.
A scene in the film was shot at
Villa VizcayaVizcaya, now named the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, is the former villa and estate of businessman James Deering, of the Deering McCormick-International Harvester fortune, on Biscayne Bay in the present day Coconut Grove neighborhood of Miami, Florida...
.
Dennis QuaidDennis William Quaid is an American actor known for his comedic and dramatic roles. First gaining widespread attention in the 1980s, his career rebounded in the 1990s after he overcame an addiction to drugs and an eating disorder...
's character's house is really
Miami DolphinsThe Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
quarterback
Dan MarinoDaniel Constantine "Dan" Marino, Jr. is a retired American football quarterback who played for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League...
's house.
Reception
The film received an aggregated score of 50% from 115 reviews on
Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
.
Soundtrack
A soundtrack containing hip hop, rock and R&B music was released on January 4, 2000 by
Atlantic RecordsAtlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
. It peaked at #28 on the
Billboard 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and #11 on the
Top R&B/Hip-Hop AlbumsTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
.
Oliver Stone wanted to use the music of the Canadian band
Godspeed You! Black EmperorGodspeed You! Black Emperor is a Canadian post-rock band which originated from Montreal, Quebec in 1994...
and actually filmed a scene using their music, when he later asked for permission, the band said no, so Stone was forced to redo the scene without the music.
Film composer
Richard HorowitzRichard Horowitz is a composer, producer, arranger, and musician .He is best known for his work on The Sheltering Sky, directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, which was awarded the 1990 Golden Globe and LA Film Critics Music Awards; Any Given Sunday, directed by Oliver Stone, which was awarded the 2000...
, who supplied the original score, published his complete music for the film on a promotional CD.
Director's cut
When released to home video on VHS and DVD, a new
director's cutA director's cut is a specially edited version of a film, and less often TV series, music video, commercials, comic book or video games, that is supposed to represent the director's own approved edit...
by Oliver Stone was used. Due to the packaging listing "6 minutes of previously unseen footage" and a running time of 156 minutes, many assumed that the theatrical cut was 150 minutes, and that Stone had added six minutes of footage. In actuality, the theatrical cut ran 162 minutes; 12 minutes was deleted for the Director's Cut, and six minutes of new footage was added. Stone said these changes were made to help with the film's pacing. The differences between the two versions are discussed on IMDb's entry for the film.