Any Given Sunday (1999)

A behind the scenes look at the life and death struggles of modern day gladiators and those who lead them.

Director:

Oliver Stone

Writers:

Daniel Pyne (screen story), John Logan (screen story),

Stars:

Al Pacino, Cameron Diaz, Dennis Quaid

3 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Al Pacino	...	Tony D'Amato
Cameron Diaz	...	Christina Pagniacci
Dennis Quaid	...	Jack 'Cap' Rooney
James Woods	...	Dr. Harvey Mandrake
Jamie Foxx	...	Willie Beamen
LL Cool J	...	Julian Washington
Matthew Modine	...	Dr. Ollie Powers
Jim Brown	...	Montezuma Monroe
Lawrence Taylor	...	Luther 'Shark' Lavay
Bill Bellamy	...	Jimmy Sanderson
Andrew Bryniarski	...	Patrick 'Madman' Kelly
Lela Rochon	...	Vanessa Struthers
Lauren Holly	...	Cindy Rooney
Ann-Margret	...	Margaret Pagniacci
Aaron Eckhart	...	Nick Crozier

Storyline

When a devastating hit knocks a professional football legend and quarterback Cap Rooney out of the game, a young, unknown third-stringer is called in to replace him. Having ridden the bench for years because of a string of bad luck stories and perhaps insufficient character, Willie Beaman seizes what may be his last chance, and lights up the field with a raw display of athletic prowess. His stunning performance over several games is so outstanding and fresh it seems to augur a new era in the history of this Miami franchise, and forces aging coach Tony D'Amato to reevaluate his time-tested values and strategies and begin to confront the fact that the game, as well as post-modern life may be passing him by. Adding to the pressure on D'Amato to win at any cost is the aggressive young President/Co-owner of the team, Christina Pagniacci, now coming into her own after her father's death. Christina's driving desire to prove herself in a male dominated world is intensified by her focus on the...

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Plot Keywords:

coach | ambition | journalism | drug abuse | party girl | 

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Taglines:

Play or be played

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Genres:

Drama | Sport

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong language and some nudity/sexuality

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 December 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Gridiron

Filming Locations:

Cardozo Hotel - 1300 Ocean Drive, South Beach, Miami Beach, Florida, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$55,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£400,578 (UK) (31 March 2000)

Gross:

£1,036,320 (UK) (14 April 2000)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros, Ixtlan, Donners' Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

150 min 156 min (director's cut)

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

As Oliver Stone is a San Francisco 49ers fan, there are a number of references to San Francisco winning the championship game against the Sharks.

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Goofs

When Cap Rooney is knocked out of the game, he is sacked around the 25 yard line, as evidenced by multiple shots of him lying on the turf in the middle of the shark logo at the 20 yard line. When his first replacement runs out on the field, the ball is at the 41 yard line, near the Shark-Fin-S logo at midfield. Then, in the very next field shot, before a play is run, the ball is correctly placed at the 30.

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Quotes

Luther 'Shark' Lavay: to Willie Beamen: Let me tell you something: For every sucker who makes it,for every Barry Sanders,for every Jerry Rice,there's a hundred niggers you never heard of.Sure. The game's taught you how to strut, how to talk shit, how to hit.But what else? Suddenly, there's no more money, no more women, no more applause.No more dream. This is what I'm trying to say to you. When a man Iooks back on his life, he should be proud of all of it. Not just the years he spent in pads and cleats. Not just ...

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Crazy Credits

During the end credits, we see D'Amato accepting an award and telling of his future plans with the league.

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Connections

Featured in Pauw & Witteman: Episode #4.155 (2010)

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Soundtracks

"THAT'S THE WAY (I LIKE IT)"
Written by Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch
Performed by KC & The Sunshine Band
Courtesy of RHINO ENTERTAINMENT COMPANT
By Arrangement With WARNER SPECIAL PRODUCTS

User Reviews

Sports in its most brutal moments

Wild and outrageous, Any Given Sunday gives the viewer a glimpse into an athletic world not too far from the real thing. While some of the scenes were a little too over the top, it proved to be a very enjoyable experience. As a major football fan, I was disappointed in the fact the NFL did not allow Stone to use their logos and stadiums. Oh well, I seemed to enjoy the fictional league even better, even if some of the team uniforms were a dreadful. Jamie Fox portrayed Willie Beamon perfectly, epitomizing the selfish athlete with a cultured ease. While the speed of Beamon's rise proved to be a little too quick, the message in the rise and fall of stardom was more poignant than anything.