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Concussion (2015)

Trailer
2:09 | Trailer
In Pittsburgh, accomplished pathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu uncovers the truth about brain damage in football players who suffer repeated concussions in the course of normal play.

Director:

Peter Landesman

Writers:

Peter Landesman, Jeanne Marie Laskas (based on the GQ article "Game Brain" by)
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Popularity
3,370 ( 471)
Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 4 wins & 15 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Will Smith ... Dr. Bennet Omalu
Alec Baldwin ... Dr. Julian Bailes
Albert Brooks ... Dr. Cyril Wecht
Gugu Mbatha-Raw ... Prema Mutiso
David Morse ... Mike Webster
Arliss Howard ... Dr. Joseph Maroon
Mike O'Malley ... Daniel Sullivan
Eddie Marsan ... Dr. Steve DeKosky
Hill Harper ... Christopher Jones
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje ... Dave Duerson
Stephen Moyer ... Dr. Ron Hamilton
Richard T. Jones ... Andre Waters
Paul Reiser ... Dr. Elliot Pellman
Luke Wilson ... Roger Goodell
Sara Lindsey ... Gracie
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Storyline

Will Smith stars in Concussion, a dramatic thriller based on the incredible true David vs. Goliath story of American immigrant Dr. Bennet Omalu, the brilliant forensic neuropathologist who made the first discovery of CTE, a football-related brain trauma, in a pro player and fought for the truth to be known. Omalu's emotional quest puts him at dangerous odds with one of the most powerful institutions in the world. Written by Sony Pictures Entertainment

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

Even Legends Need a Hero See more »

Genres:

Biography | Drama | Sport

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic material including some disturbing images, and language | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook | Official site | See more »

Country:

UK | Australia | USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 December 2015 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Game Brain See more »

Filming Locations:

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA See more »

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Box Office

Budget:

$35,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,513,749, 27 December 2015, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$34,531,832, 13 March 2016
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | Datasat | SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

When Dr. Bennet Omalu (Will Smith) and Dr.Cyril H. Wecht (Albert Brooks) are discussing putting warning labels on football helmets, Dr. Wecht's comment about putting the label on both sides of the helmet is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the fact that the local team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, is unique among NFL teams in having their logo on only one side of the helmet (the right side). See more »

Goofs

The film implies Cyril Wecht's prosecution was initiated to pressure Omalu to drop his research. Wecht was actually indicted three months before Omalu first published his findings. See more »

Quotes

Dr. Bennet Omalu: [on Dr Wecht's indictment for misuse of a fax machine] They could not come up with something this stupid in Nigeria!
See more »

Connections

Referenced in Mike & Mike: Episode dated 22 December 2015 (2015) See more »

Soundtracks

How Great Is Our God
Written by Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves and Ed Cash
See more »

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User Reviews

OMG--I used to play sandlot tackle football= no more!!
24 December 2015 | by jdesandoSee all my reviews

"Why would a man take his own life at the age of 50?" Dr. Bennet Omalu (Will Smith)

For 28% of pro footballers, head problems not just restricted to dizziness are a result of the pounding every week in the NFL. Dr Bennet Omalu, a forensic pathologist, in Concussion, based on a true story, begins in 2002 the outside-of-the-league autopsies that will eventually expose the CTE impairment and other life-threatening results of the professional battering.

As gently and convincingly played by Will Smith, the doctor eventually gets the NFL and world's attention by scientifically exploring the dead bodies of former players. As in the tobacco wars, the corporation, in this case the league, denies any connection, but that stand is bound to deteriorate as devoted scientists and doctors who know the players are forced to admit the causal relationship.

The film is absorbing when it plays like a medical thriller, perhaps like something Michael Crichton would write in non science fiction. When Concussion tries to integrate the more melodramatic elements of Dr. Omalu's life such as his marriage and the couple's miscarriage, the film becomes mired in tears and melancholy, unfitting for a story worth telling about the professional struggle alone.

Concussion's emphasis on the need for public awareness of the probable danger of tackle football is well presented, even though the NFL seems like a Bond villain's empire. Commissioner Paul Tagliabue started The Committee on Mild Traumatic Brain Injury to explore the injuries and left the results with new commissioner, Roger Goodell.

Although settlement for players ensued, the concussions are still around.


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