Parts of this movie concerning the untimely death of Brian Piccolo (James Caan)had me wondering how it could be rated so highly as a tearjerker. When Gayle Sayers (Billy Dee Williams)breaks the news to his Chicago teammates that Piccolo has cancer, the two actors standing behind him are already in tears before Sayers says the first word (Mr. Director?). But Brian's Song wins you over despite it being a little dated with a strong performance from Williams and an excellent performance from Caan, who delivers more laugh-out-loud lines than any 70's TV movie-of-the-week has a right to give. The bond between the Piccolo and Sayers feels real, and the emotional speech given by Sayers as he accepts the George Halas award is a show stopper, and it shocked me how hard hitting it was after the limp locker room speech that was given. The soundtrack by Michael LeGrand is a little overbearing in some places (like I said, it dates itself a little), but in all fairness, it comes off as unforgettable in other areas, especially at the Halas award ceremony. The mix of footage of the actual players playing with the actors on the sideline during a game lends a realism that is missing with all sports movies today.
Review of Brian's Song
