This is a movie about a committed, gifted physician who
takes a stand against a powerful bureaucracy.
No, Concussion is not about Dr. Ben Carson but Dr. Bennet Omalu
(Will Smith), the gifted forensic pathologist who fought against efforts by the
National Football League to suppress his research on the brain
damage suffered by professional football players.
On many levels, this is a story about faith. Omalu is a man of faith but he is also a man
of science. He clearly sees no conflict
between the two and when he finds truth in science, he must share it with a
religious fervor. In doing so, he takes
on a uniquely American expression of faith—football.
As one character points out, Omalu is attacking an
industry (not just a sport) that “owns a day of the week, one that used to
belong to the church.” Another character
describes football as a “blessing,” “salvation,” and “the beating heart of the
city.” Strong words for a secular entity
that is essentially a business but has all the trappings of a spiritual
movement.
Perhaps this is the place to say that I am a football
fan, but one who has become concerned about what appears to be increasing injuries
to players at all levels of the sport.
In fact, one young man
experienced a traumatic injury in a high school football
game in our county this year. The son of a Christian minister, his recovery
is still in the balance. Would I want my
grandsons to play the game? No.
Can one love the sport and fear its consequences at the
same time? In the film, Dr. Julian
Bailes (Alec Baldwin), a former team doctor, expresses this dichotomy. A good old boy from Louisiana, he loves the
game but he feels the guilt of what it is doing to the players. He becomes an unlikely ally for Omalu.
David Morris delivers a stunning performance as Mike
Webster, a former player for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Kansas City
Chiefs. He personalizes the tragedy of a
man suffering the consequences of being the best at what he does and taking the
risks that involves. His death starts
Omalu on his search for truth.
Omalu excels in his own way as both a man of faith and a
man of science, but he also exhibits a certain self righteousness when he
thinks he is the only one who can communicate the truth. This leads to a dramatic confrontation with
Bailes, who has worked with him to make his research public. When Omalu finally addresses the NFL Players
Association, he has toned down his zeal and expresses his concerns with an
attitude of humility and an attempt to understand what some see as good in the
game. Smith is excellent in his portrayal
of Omalu. Despite his action hero
personae, he is one of the best actors in film today.
Concussion will contribute to the ongoing debate about
the danger of debilitating injuries connected with sports, especially football. Although the NFL reports that as many as 28
percent of former players may experience some type of cognitive dysfunction,
has worked out a financial settlement with the players association, and has taken steps this season to be more
cautious about returning possibly
concussed players to a game, the organization still seems to be in denial about
the dangers involved.
The final scenes of Omalu watching a high school football
practice in his hometown force us to consider how difficult it will be to
change a particular sporting culture.
Concussion shows us that a person of faith can still
speak truth to power and find allies along the way, but simply being correct does
not assure change or resolution. The Old
Testaments prophets are a testimony to the difficulty of pursuing such a path.
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