The greatest victories don't always happen on the field.
DRAFT DAYWe open to Seattle, Washington. Seattle Seahawk HQ to be exact. The owner and Head coach Tom Michaels ( Patrick St. Esprit) are discussing what to do with their first round pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. The owner tells Tom to trade it for equal to what the Rams got for their first rounder in the 2012 draft. Tom says theres no team desperate enough to do that. He thinks about it and says hold on maybe.
C
ue Cleveland, Ohio. We now see the GM of the Browns, Sonny Weaver JR ( Kevin Costner), putting on his tie and getting ready for the day. His Salary cap manager and girlfriend Ali (Jennifer Gardner) is in the shower behind him.
Sonny goes down stairs to the kitchen and pours him and Ali a cup of coffee. Sonny also slips a folded Post-it into his pocket. She comes down, and gives him the silent treatment. It comes out in conversation that she just told him she is pregnant and he didnt react in the way she would have liked. He blames it on what Today is.Sonny gets a phone call from a draft prospect, Vonte Mack (Chadwick Bowman, to remind him that Sonny must draft him at #7. If sonny doesnt, Vonte will tumble. And to quote Vonte My nephews like to tumble. I dont. Sonny reassures him not to worry.
After the phone call is over, Sonny gets another phone call from Earl Jennings ( Terry Crews). He is an ex browns player and his son, Ray ( Arian Foster) is an Running Back in the draft and would like to play for the Browns also. Sonny reassures Ray to just have a great draft day. You only get oneSonny meets with the Browns owner, Anthony Molina ( Frank Langella) at a water park about what Sonny plans on doing with the pick. Molina tells Sonny to make a splash.
Almost like clockwork, the next person Sonny talks to is Tom. Tom offers him the #1 draft pick for the Browns next three first round picks. Sonny tells him hes crazy.
Now we see the War room at Cleveland Browns HQ. The Head Coach, Coach Penn ( Denis Leary) with a few of the war room experts. Sonny comes in and tells them to throw away all that they were scouting on Vonte Mack. He now has the #1 pick and their going after the qb in the draft , Bo Callahan ( Josh Pence). He tells them what he gave up for the #1 pick. They tell him hes insane and that he ruined the franchise.Sonny goes to his office, to find that Ali has hired a new intern because the others are helping with the draft. He starts to yell at him. The pressure is getting to Sonny. Ali comes in and tries to talk to Sonny, he says he cant handle it. Ali leaves. Sonny gets a phone call from Bos Agent ( Sean Combs) and Bo himself. Sonny asks Bo a few questions, and Bo expresses his interest in playing for the Browns. Before he hangs up, Bos agent makes sure Bo gives Sonny his condolences because of Sonnys recent loss of his dad. Sonny says thanks and hangs up.
This is when Sonny gets a phone call from his mother, Barb (Ellen Burstyn). She tells him that Vonte has tweeted about the trade, and she starts to give him the riot act. He tells her goodbye and calls Vonte. He tells him to stay off Twitter, because no matter what happens, GMs dont like over spoken players. Before hanging up, Vonte puts a little birdie in Sonnys ear to watch the tapes of Bo and Really look at them.Sonny calls for the collection of all the Browns tapes on Bo. At this point, is when Sonny is informed that the current Browns QB Brian Drew (Tom Welling) has destroyed Sonnys office.
Sonny goes down to confront him. Brian wants to be traded, and his ticked. Sonny says no matter what, he will do whatever is best for the team.
Sonny asks the Browns security expert to looks into Bos background. The guy is clean besides one incident at his 21st birthday party. The police had to come to the restaurant, and took down everyones name due to a burglary. None of Bos Wisconsin teammates were there.
When Sonny gets back to his office, Sonnys mom and Ex wife are there to spread his dads ashes on the practice field. She asks him to say a prayer while it happens, and he says not today. She says fine Ill do It myself.Ali comes in and introduces herself to the group. Barb and the ex wife are total snobs. Barb asks Ali for a cup of coffee. Ali goes to get it, but Sonny stops her. Barb asks Sonny one more time about the spreading of the ashes, and he gets mad. He throws a laptop across his office and puts a hole in the wall. Barb almost bursts out in tears, and leaves the office.
Sonny and Ali go down to the practice field, where a plaque to Sonnys father is shown. Sonny tells Ali that the only reason why he fired his father as the Browns HC is because his mom asked him too. His father was in ill health and more years of football would have killed him. He chose to fire his dad in order to give his dads last few years to his mom instead.Sonny goes back up to his office, to find that the new intern that Ali hired is trying to fix his laptop. Sonny apologizes for breaking it and tells him that he will get him a new one.
Sonny meets with the head of security once again. And he reiterates about the birthday party.
Sonny calls Bos ex head coach, who denies the allegations.
Draft time is finally here. Sonny is up in his office, and not in the war room. He calls in his pick. He chooses Vonte over Bo.Vonte starts crying with happiness.
Bo has an anxiety attack and leaves Radio City Music Hall, (where the draft is being held)
Anthony leaves the hall in a dizzy, and flies back to Cleveland. Sonny has all but lost his job.This is when Sonny gets on the phone with the owner of the #6 pick in the draft, The Jacksonville Jaguars. After some negotiations, Sonny acquires their pick for the Browns next three years 2nd round picks. The war room erupts. Anthony comes in and tells Sonny that he is almost fired.
Next up, Sonny calls Tom back, he knows that the Seahawks want Bo Callahan, and after Sonny didnt choose him, Bos draft stock drops. Sonny offers him the #6 pick for everything that Sonny gave him for the #1. Tom says no. Sonny rebuttals that he will draft Callahan if Tom says no, Tom still says no. Then Tom thinks about it, he says he will accept the deal. Sonny says too late, and purposes a new trade, everything Sonny gave up for the #1 pick plus a punt returner. Tom accepts.The Seahawks draft Bo with the #6 pick, and the Browns draft Ray Jennings as #7.
The film ends with Sonny and Ali telling Barb about Ali being Pregnant, and Sonny and Ali kissing. We also see opening kickoff of the season, and Sonny and Ali are still together and Ali is showing. The team huddles up for a last hurrah before the season officially starts
Cue End Credits
Orig. title:
Draft Day
Score: 68 %
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