Katharine Hepburn: The Lion in Winter (1968) and On Golden Pond (1981). Ruth Gordon: Harold and Maude (1971). Ingrid Bergman: Autumn Sonata (1978). The bulk of Nancy Meyers’ 21st-century output. For a period, growing older didn’t have to mean losing out on notable roles for a venerable actress. Somewhere along the line, however — right around the time of The Golden Girls (1985-92) — things changed significantly. The smash success of this long-running NBC sitcom about four funny and precious grannies can be seen as having a direct impact on such distinguished roles for senior actresses. Though Meyers proved it doesn’t have to be this way with Something’s Gotta Give (2003) and It’s Complicated (2009), the vast majority of available parts for veteran leading ladies continue to be restricted to the disgraceful old-lady-ensemble comedy.
80 for Brady is the latest entry in this ever-popular subgenre. Starring Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Sally Field, and Rita Moreno, the film follows four friends and diehard Tom Brady fans as they attempt to wriggle their way into the 2017 Super Bowl. After brushing off numerous opportunities to see the New England Patriots play during past Big Games, a combination of factors convinces the group that this particular year is a can’t-miss opportunity. In addition to Brady’s retirement rumors, Maura (Moreno) is grieving the loss of her spouse, Trish (Fonda) is grappling with a painful breakup, Betty (Field) is craving a much-needed break from her high-maintenance husband (Bob Balaban), and Lou (Tomlin) is secretly dodging a follow-up concerning her cancer prognosis. They conveniently score tickets and are off to Houston for what is sure to be the experience of a lifetime. (Perhaps for the last time.)
Following in the footsteps of recent titles Book Club (2018), Poms (2019), Otherhood (2019), and Queen Bees (2021), 80 for Brady is at its best when it gets past its basic premise and leans into an array of comedic bits. In this film, these fall primarily within the lengthy second act. In Texas with a day to kill before the game, the quartet of senescent stars end up in all sorts of trouble. From a hot-wing contest to a celebrity poker match, a drug trip to a fling with a football legend, and even an extended Eyes Wide Shut (1999) riff that gives way to a Being John Malkovich (1999) homage by way of Guy Fieri, there’s a surprising amount of laughs to be found in this enjoyable middle section. Think of it like a prolonged halftime show between the gratingly obligatory Brady worship of the first and third acts.
The comparison is no joke. No matter how hard Booksmart (2019) scribes Emily Halpern and Sarah Haskins or legendary cinematographer John Toll may try to elevate 80 for Brady, there’s just no getting around it: This is the cinematic equivalent of a Super Bowl commercial, packed to the gills with cameos from athletes, C-list sitcom stars, and copious amounts of product placement. (To say nothing of its doe-eyed veneration of the inherent violence of the sport, which nearly resulted in a horrific death on the field less than five weeks before the movie’s premiere and contributes to more than 300,000 concussions annually — a dismaying number of which develop into the degenerative brain disease CTE.)
Those who remember this Super Bowl — it wasn’t that long ago, after all — will also sense a strange revisionism at the very core of the film, a flipping of the narrative that portrays the Patriots’ win as a joyous occasion for all instead of the huge upset that it was for many football fans. Regardless, the loose plot — which is based on an actual group of octogenarian Brady obsessives — is not the real draw. Just as a love of books is not what pulls audiences to Book Club, nor enthusiasm for cheerleading to Poms, 80 for Brady exists as an excuse to get these silver-haired screen legends together for an hour-and-a-half of lighthearted diversion. If you move the goal posts, it’s an easy win.
80 for Brady is now playing in theaters everywhere.
