80 for Brady

Director: Kyle Marvin
Starring: Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno, Sally Field, Tom Brady, Billy Porter, Harry Hamlin, Guy Fieri, Alex Moffat, Rob Corddry, Glynn Turman, Ron Funches, Bob Balaban, Jimmy O. Yang, Matt Lauria, Sara Gilbert, Sally Kirkland, Andy Richter, Patton Oswalt, Retta
Running Time: 98 min.
Rating: PG-13

★★★ (out of ★★★★)  

When everyone heard that now retired NFL legend Tom Brady would be producing and acting in a major motion picture, this probably wasn't what they had in mind. But 80 for Brady is exactly the type of mainstream, inoffensive comedy he'd likely latch onto, allowing the former quarterback to easily dip into entertainment waters while playing off his popularity. If it flopped, no big deal. If not, even better. Very loosely based on a true story about a foursome of senior citizens who travel to Houston to watch their hero play in Super Bowl LI, it actually turns out far better than expected. 

What succeeds can be attributed to its lead actresses, all of whom make the most of a fairly ridiculous premise. More jokes hit than don't and director Kyle Marvin keeps things moving fast enough that you're not aggravated by its missteps, which are surprisingly few. Providing a service to the industry by catering to an underrepresented population of older female moviegoers, those fully prepared for disaster will be relieved this isn't the abomination its cringe worthy trailers and TV spots hinted at.

It's 2017 and elderly best friends Lou (Lily Tomlin), Trish (Jane Fonda), Maura (Rita Moreno) and Betty (Sally Field) are all New England Patriots fans, having gathered weekly for the past fifteen years to cheer on quarterback Tom Brady. While making plans for their Super Bowl LI watch party, they decide to enter a sports radio contest rewarding the best story of Patriots fandom with free tickets to the big game in Houston. 

After discovering they've won, getting there and holding onto the tickets prove to be a challenge when a myriad of obstacles stand in their way. Determined to see this through, they stumble upon various hijinks at the NFL Experience while also getting caught up in the celebrity-filled events taking place over that weekend. With each navigating rough patches in their personal lives, the trip isn't only a needed escape from the stresses back home, but possibly one of their final chances for a wild adventure. And they've come too far to turn back now.  

Given the onslaught of jokes and sight gags that come a mile a minute, it's kind of surprising how many manage to land, thanks mostly to these actresses, whose collective talents help elevate a decent amount of ridiculousness. In a refreshing change, the women are rarely the butt of insults about their ages, and when it happens, they're usually the ones dishing that out. The characters aren't complex and shouldn't be, but the script makes a decent enough go at giving them meaningful backstories, allowing the four to just run with it, as we know they can.  

Tomlin's Lou is a cancer survivor who's partially using the trip to avoid her latest test results, Fonda's Trish is a former beauty queen unlucky in love, Moreno's Maura is living in a nursing home by choice while still grieving her husband's death and Field's retired MIT professor Betty seems to be the most well-adjusted of the group, at least when not attending to her needy husband (Bob Balaban). 

If pushed to choose, Trish's subplot involving her publication of Rob Gronkowski fan fiction and a burgeoning relationship with a former Patriots player (Harry Hamlin) is probably the least effective. But even here, the character isn't written as some vain, aging narcissist and Fonda adds just the right dose of sarcastic cleverness to the role.

All of them do a fine job believably bouncing off each other, especially Grace and Frankie co-stars Fonda and Tomlin, whose TV chemistry translates to this bigger stage. And Moreno's side story involving a recently widowed retirement home resident (Glynn Turman) courting her strikes just the right balance. Of course, there's a also a fair amount of silliness in the form of a spicy wings contest, a cannabis-laced poker party and appearances from the likes of Billy Porter, Patton Oswalt, Andy Richter, Rob Corddry, Retta and Guy Fieri. Some work better than others, although it's kind of bizarre just how large a role Fieri has. .

Given the amount of Brady Super Bowls the writers could choose from, they at least knew to center it around the one that would provide the most creative possibilities, especially in the final act. The Patriots impossible comeback against the Falcons is exploited to full effect, as you can imagine the filmmakers' eagerness at incorporating the ladies into this in a way that earns heartfelt laughs. For the most part it does, despite including extensive footage of a game most know all too well at this point. But if nothing else, you have to at least respect the effort put into that old school NFL opening title sequence.

None of this is complete without Tom Brady's acting chops being put to the test, but he's actually an engaging and charismatic presence in the few minutes he shares onscreen with Tomlin. It helps he's not asked to stretch outside his comfort zone, which could also easily apply to the movie as a whole. It's a fun, harmless ninety minutes audiences won't have to totally shut their brains off to enjoy. They just might have to put them on autopilot for a little bit.