I for some reason agreed to review the comedy 80 for Brady despite me being wholly outside the target demographic. I’m a football fan, yes, but I’m 20–arguably 30–years too young to appreciate it and absolutely despise the Patriots, so why the fuck would I agree to review a movie about a bunch of old women who touch themselves off screen at the very thought of Patriots-era Tom Brady?
I don’t fucking know.
I feel a little ashamed even reviewing 80 for Brady, as the desire to multitask set in early and that feeling was only mitigated by, yes, actually multitasking. I multitasked the shit out of things to the point where I actively wasn’t paying attention, which doesn’t give a fair shake to the film.
The only reason I agreed to watch this movie was because I had heard it was a surprisingly decent little film, and I suppose a movie that stars Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno, and Sally Field should not be dismissed out of hand. But the humor, the banter, the harmlessness of it all, the geriatric slobbering over the GOAT, fell completely flat for me. Not a chuckle, not a smirk, not even a single positive sensation bubbled up for me as I watched this thing that just feels utterly lazy and below the talents of the actresses on screen. I also know my mom and grandma probably will like it, which is really the point. Even though they too despise the Patriots, and, unlike me, loathe Mr. Brady himself.
80 for Brady isn’t for me, and it probably isn’t for you either. But your mom will probably like it, and so how I can argue that?
Review by Erik Samdahl unless otherwise indicated.