Whether it was due to its criticism for being Oscar-bait, or Will Smith's valiantly manufactured but still awkward Nigerian accent, Concussion never really got hold of the cultural zeitgeist. A slick legal and scientific procedural, filled with tons of exposition and salacious exposés about the damning evidence of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) and the iniquitous cover-up antics of the National Football League (NFL), Concussion is a smooth way to cram in a cognitive overload of information.
Sure, it is a bit syrupy; and sure, the dialogue feels stilted and manufactured for most of the movie. But as an indictment of how corporate America will shamelessly shield the truth from its employees and customers, even at the detriment to their physiological well-being, the film is as timely as ever. If anything, it is pretty amazing to note how little of a dent Concussion and the controversies around CTE made on the thick skulls running and celebrating the NFL. Nevertheless, as incriminatory as this synopsis sounds, we do our very best to empathize and consider the arguments of all sides while unpacking the pros and cons of this somewhat predictable but also easily digestible little guy vs. big corporation entry into the canon.
