I remember settling down in front of the TV on Monday nights, just waiting for that voice to introduce "Monday Night Football" - "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, this is Howard Cosell." As this movie pointed out, Cosell in fact was "Monday Night Football" - without him, as was pointed out in this movie, you didn't have "Monday Night Football," you had football on Monday night. "Monday Night Mayhem" is an expose type movie, showing us the mostly unsavoury events that went on behind the scenes: the tension in the broadcast booth, director Chet Forte's gambling problems and womanizing. Some of it was interesting, but I really didn't find most of this to be particularly engrossing.
Perhaps the problem was John Turturro as Cosell. I'm almost tempted to let him off the hook. Who could really play Cosell - the look, the voice? But then again I've seen "Ali" and Jon Voight's uncanny ability to capture Cosell. Turturro just didn't do it. He never came across - to me at least - as Howard Cosell; he was always an actor trying to be Howard Cosell (and trying too hard at times in my opinion.) The same can be said for those portraying the rest of the on-air MNF cast. Kevin Anderson as Frank Gifford, Brad Beyer as Don Meredith, Chad Coleman as O.J. Simpson, Shuler Hensley as Keith Jackson - none of them seemed like the real thing. That just threw me off too much.
I thought some of the insights into Cosell were interesting. Cosell comes across as surprisingly insecure, not just wanting the approval of his superiors (especially Roone Arledge, played by John Heard) but needing to be told that he has their approval. In an interesting balancing act, Cosell also comes across as arrogant - disdainful of his "jock" broadcast colleagues, and even of "Monday Night Football" itself, believing himself really more suited to more serious news reporting.
There were some interesting aspects to this movie, but I never really thought it found its footing and it seemed to lack any real consistency. I'd call it a mediocre movie at best.
4/10
Perhaps the problem was John Turturro as Cosell. I'm almost tempted to let him off the hook. Who could really play Cosell - the look, the voice? But then again I've seen "Ali" and Jon Voight's uncanny ability to capture Cosell. Turturro just didn't do it. He never came across - to me at least - as Howard Cosell; he was always an actor trying to be Howard Cosell (and trying too hard at times in my opinion.) The same can be said for those portraying the rest of the on-air MNF cast. Kevin Anderson as Frank Gifford, Brad Beyer as Don Meredith, Chad Coleman as O.J. Simpson, Shuler Hensley as Keith Jackson - none of them seemed like the real thing. That just threw me off too much.
I thought some of the insights into Cosell were interesting. Cosell comes across as surprisingly insecure, not just wanting the approval of his superiors (especially Roone Arledge, played by John Heard) but needing to be told that he has their approval. In an interesting balancing act, Cosell also comes across as arrogant - disdainful of his "jock" broadcast colleagues, and even of "Monday Night Football" itself, believing himself really more suited to more serious news reporting.
There were some interesting aspects to this movie, but I never really thought it found its footing and it seemed to lack any real consistency. I'd call it a mediocre movie at best.
4/10