Read More @HJ Reviews: Fewer Rules, More Heart Elisabeth Leitch Previews: Trailer, Studio Stills, Overview David Bruce, Webmaster

I really like the way George Clooney makes movies. His latest film, Leatherheads, is yet another of his films that exudes that classic, golden age of Hollywood feel. It's a rare gift to be able to accomplish that in today's movie culture, but Mr. Clooney has an ability to pull it off almost effortlessly. Leatherheads is not a movie for everyone because it's really a movie from a bygone era, but if you can appreciate it for what it is, you're in store for a fun time at the movies.

Just a warning: for a movie that's supposedly about the early days of pro football, this movie really isn't all that much about the early days of pro football. You'll get a sense of what pro football was like in the early '20s, but this isn't an extensive account on how the game eventually evolved in to what we enjoy every fall Sunday here in the 21st Century. At the same time, I couldn't help but notice the gentle ribbing Leatherheads gives the NFL. Apparently the writers of this film feel like the No Fun League has lost the true spirit of what football was supposed to be: fun. Throughout the film there's a focus on how rules are "ruining" the game, which some still feel is the case today. It's by no means a preachy condemnation of the No Fun League, but the ire is certainly felt.

In fact, the concept of rules ruining fun is one that extends well beyond the game of football. I know plenty of people who feel the same is true of Christianity. Some view God, the Bible, and Jesus Christ as a bunch of dos and don'ts which were put into place in order to keep people from having fun. Certainly some Christians act as though that were true, but a closer look at the Bible reveals that's not what rules are for. God gave us rules because he loves us and wants to keep us from harm. More than that, he doesn't even ask us to try and keep them all; instead he sent his son to do that for us, to die on the cross for us, and to rise from the dead for us.

The rules and their requirements were all fulfilled through Jesus; all we're asked to do is to live out that fact on a day to day basis, which even I forget to do from time to time. Still, we don't follow God's rules out of a need to earn anything, but out of a sense of love and gratitude for the fact that he cares enough for us not only to make rules, but to help us keep them as well.

Have rules improved the game of football? I don't know, I guess that depends on how you feel about it; certainly Leatherheads feels they spoiled the game. Do rules improve our lives? Absolutely, for it's only through those rules fulfilled in Christ that we experience true freedom. Ironically enough, thinking we're better off without them only leads us into captivity and slavery. One thing I can say for sure, I don't know about the game of football, but in the game life, rules don't ruin the fun, they make the fun that much easier to enjoy.

Going back to George Clooney's ablity to evoke the classic Hollywood feel, every frame of this movie from the opening old school Universal logo to the end of the credits feels like the authentic golden age Hollywood. From the music to the dialogue to the costumes, it all perfectly represents a bygone era. My favorite part is the dialogue; it's sharp, witty, and rapid. You just don't hear this kind of dialogue in movies much anymore. Several lines may rapidly fire by and suddenly you'll realize that something funny was said a few line back. It's all very reminiscent of the great Cary Grant or Jimmy Stewart comedies.

Not only is George Clooney a natural when it comes to directing this kind of material, he's a natural to portray it. He fits in perfectly with this type of period piece, much as he did in O Brother Where Art Thou. Renee Zellweger puts in a solid and convincing performance of a liberated and spunky '20s woman with a keen intellect and "great legs." The most refreshing performance comes from John Krasinski, aka Jim from The Office. His is the standout performance because there's no trace of Jim in this film. Krasinski plays someone entirely new, and he does a great job. There's a drunk scene which could have so easily been overplayed, yet Krasinski plays it just right to great comic effect. Plus, he's not exactly the hero (nor exactly the villain) in this movie, which brings out some wonderful complexity in his character and performance. Again, the cast feels like they stepped out of a classic Cary Grant comedy to perform in this throwback film here in the 21st Century, and I loved every minute of it.

Leatherheads is just good, simple fun. Although there were a few language issues I felt were a little out of place, the overall feel of the film is a lost movie from Hollywood's golden age. Perhaps the dialogue is a little too smart, witty, and fast for today's audiences, perhaps the characters a little too interesting and complex, and perhaps the story is overall too good-natured for today's audiences; and because of those things perhaps it won't do well at the boxoffice. However, it made me feel like I was watching something like Bringing Up Baby or Harvey, and because of that, I thought it was one of the best comedies I've seen a long while.