Brian's Song

You would not find Brain's Song on ESPN's Jock Rock compilations. More of a ballad really.

Rewatch. Tear-jerker. Mustacheless Billy Dee Williams. Still a better love story than Twilight. Fav scene: "I love Brian Piccolo. And I'd like all of you to love him too."

Brian's Song is the kind of film that screams "made-for-TV" with all the charm of a damp Sunday afternoon in the 70s. I only sat through this because Amy Nicholson and Paul Scheer included it on their Unspooled podcast. I'm looking forward to listening to their review, which I expect to be scathing and more enjoyable than the film itself.

I went into this with zero knowledge of what it was about, which may have helped hold my interest. Even so, at only 75 mins it still feels padded out in parts, and the TV-movie direction and score don’t help. Displays a refreshingly honest approach to race (refreshing in 2024 that is), and the final act is quite powerful but – like other parts – drags that little bit past your patience with its excess. You might get more out of it if you know anything about American football/who these guys are.

Tear jerking sports flick. Lost some punch with time but still good.

A classic sports movie, and the one where I realized that someone always dies in a sports movie.

Sappy but enjoyable sports drama. Caan and Williams are solid, and it's interesting to see how much different the racial dynamics are from modern representations.