kbrewster@lmtribune.com
The Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots are facing off in Super Bowl LII. For Eagles fans, there's a film to channel team spirit. For Patriots, there's one coming soon.
"Silver Linings Playbook" tells the story of Pat Solitano Jr. (Bradley Cooper) who was recently released from a mental hospital and is looking for a new beginning. While it might not sound like a football movie, the Solitanos are Eagles fans. The Eagles jersey appears more than once, Pat goes to a game with his brother, and the Eagles' record and success is integrated into the plot.
Cooper received an Oscar nomination for his performance. He didn't win, but Jennifer Lawrence won her first Oscar for portraying the football-hating Tiffany in the film.
Cooper didn't have to work very hard to play an Eagles fan. Born in Philadelphia, he is a long-time supporter. The Eagles have other famous fans: Kobe Bryant, Tina Fey, Sylvester Stallone and the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air himself, Will Smith.
Celebrity endorsements for the Pats include Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg and Chris Evans.
Patriots fans pop up in movies and television from time to time, but those looking for a film focused on their team won't have to wait long. A book and film about Tom Brady is in development. The book, titled "12," will be written by New York Times bestselling author Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge who co-wrote "Boston Strong." The film will be written by Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson, the Oscar-nominated duo behind "The Fighter," "Patriots Day" (about the Boston Marathon bombings, based on Sherman and Wedge's "Boston Strong") and "The Finest Hours" (based on the book of the same title by Michael J. Tougais and Sherman).
The book is set to be released sometime this year. The film's release date is yet to be determined. Both will look at Brady's career, from the ups of his Super Bowl wins (more than any player in NFL history), to the downs, including the notorious Deflategate, in which the Patriots were accused of knowingly using under-inflated footballs.
* This story has been updated to reflect corrected information on the authors of the books cited.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj5_FhLaaQQ
