This movie is a love story at its heart, although there are a couple of potential targets. There is the obvious choice of football, where Leatherheads can be seen as a lovesong to the dawn of a very popular sport and its growing pains. On the other hand, there is the romance that develops between Dodge and Lexie and Bullet. Through all of the love are some wonderfully fast paced and quick-witted exchanges and verbal sparring, the likes of which are rarely seen these days.

Leatherheads is a lot of fun; from the opening frame to the vintage appearance of the stills in the credits, this movie is flat out enjoyable. It is refreshing in its approach, successful in its execution, and there is no reason not to enjoy it. The performances are all first rate, in particular the effort from Clooney, who can cock his head like no one else. He nails the performance. Meanwhile, Renee Zellweger proves to be simultaneously sexy and annoying, and is still successful at bringing Lexie to life. There are few actresses that are able to have that kind of effect, and she leads the pack. As for John Krasinski, this goes a long way towards erasing the misstep that was Licence to Wed. The supporting cast is also solid with work from the likes of Stephen Root and Jonathan Price.

George Clooney proves once again what a talent he is behind the camera. With only three films under his belt, he delivers another one that is very entertaining, of high quality, and marches to the beat of its own drum. He may be a big Hollywood name, but he knows how to make a quality film that doesn't fit the mold.

The script is also quite good. Sure, it may slump a bit here and there, but it works and is laugh out loud funny. In addition to the main story, it also touches on some interesting aspects that spark thought, but are not there to beat you over the head. The first is the idea that when a hero is needed, one is created. This is personified by Bullet's war hero status and the nature of Lexie's reporting. The other is the change of professional football from a passion for the likes of Dodge, who just wants to play the game and have a good time, to a business with the introduction of money.