Sports Illustrated writer George Plimpton (Alan Alda) does stories doing professional sports like pitching in an exhibition All-Star baseball game and box a round with Sugar Ray Robinson. With his editor pushing for more, he comes up with an idea to be a quarterback in professional football. He goes undercover as a third string quarterback for The Detroit Lions. It's pretty quick that his inept play allows his teammates to out the fake player. Kate (Lauren Hutton) is his photographer girlfriend.
The use of non-actors leaves this better as an insight into NFL team dynamic more than a flowing narrative movie. There is simply too much non-acting going on. Only Alex Karras would go on as a real actor and he's a good discovery. It would be helpful to have real actors be a few of the players like the backup quarterback who tries to befriend him. It is eye-opening how much control the team has over these guys. They get fined for every minor infraction. That's the most intriguing part of the movie. I also don't think nice guy Alan Alda has the edge to play this character. The ending takes too long to get to him. It's not necessary to show so much of the real game. This is an interesting side trip into the sports movie genre.
The use of non-actors leaves this better as an insight into NFL team dynamic more than a flowing narrative movie. There is simply too much non-acting going on. Only Alex Karras would go on as a real actor and he's a good discovery. It would be helpful to have real actors be a few of the players like the backup quarterback who tries to befriend him. It is eye-opening how much control the team has over these guys. They get fined for every minor infraction. That's the most intriguing part of the movie. I also don't think nice guy Alan Alda has the edge to play this character. The ending takes too long to get to him. It's not necessary to show so much of the real game. This is an interesting side trip into the sports movie genre.