“80 for Brady” (2023) is about four friends who are around 80 years old and became fans of the titular quarterback when they decided to watch their first game together. They are determined to go to the 2017 Super Bowl, but will their dreams come true?

If my editor did not assign “80 for Brady” to me, I would have never watched it. I am a sports atheist. Movies that target older audience are usually pablum. The screening had diehard Patriots fans in full regalia, and many were the targeted demographic for this movie. I tried to convince my mom, a Tom Brady and Patriots fan, to go. She wanted to see the movie, but not enough to leave the house so I was in foreign territory without an interpreter. When I got to the theater, and they could not initially figure out if I should be admitted, I was thrilled at the prospect of being turned away, but my excitement made them look harder because it was obvious that I was not trying to get in. It was fraught with the potential to be pure torture.

I should have hated “80 for Brady,” but I did not. The grandson of a member of the real “Over 80 for Brady” fan club pitched the concept, and once it went through the Hollywood machine, it bore zero resemblance to reality. The onscreen incarnation becomes a wacky girl trip with contrived scenarios that would only occur on screen with mild stakes that get rapidly resolved to crescendo to a happy ending and a Super Bowl win. In a strange Venn diagram, like Marvel movies, I hate when a film predicated on a group breaks the group up before I have become invested and admire the group. How did this unlikely group of women become friends? No idea. Maybe I missed it. This story would be unbearable without such a terrific cast. Writer, actor and producer Kyle Marvin made his directing debut. Booksmart’s Emily Halpern and Sarah Haskins take a break from writing for television series and return to the big screen.

Lily Tomlin plays the most fervent fan, Lou. She has a thankless role as an almost joyless fanatic who almost loses sight of the real goal, creating memories with her friends, in her focus on seeing the game in person. Tomlin was almost inert though her best moments were when she could be herself instead of reciting lame lines such as in an outmatched competition against a Falcons fan or an exchange with Brady himself. She was more credible in scenes with him than when she is constantly cooing about how cute he is. It felt as if she was playing the comedy broadly, but only managed to land delusional toddler with a tantrum who makes everything about her, which I will allow considering the circumstances, which I will not spoil, but is an exploitative stakes raiser that I did not appreciate and considered tasteless.

Jane Fonda is the bombshell of the group complete with an array of wigs and the Barbie-inspired wardrobe. It is a one-dimensional role. I have only heard great things about Tomlin and Fonda as a comedy duo and look forward to watching “Grace and Frankie.” Maybe they will be better together in the upcoming “Moving On” (2023). Fonda had better moments with Jimmy O. Yang in a hijinx sequence and less well-known characters when her secret career catches up with her. I loved when we got to see her without her armor on, but alas “80 for Brady” is not that kind of movie.

Rita Moreno still has it as Maura, the widow who is still a mover and shaker. She is a gorgeous scene stealer and wardrobe loved her. I would almost say that it is worth watching “80 for Brady” if you could just fast forward to see her outfits. She looked amazing and was in command of every scene. She had quite a few solo humor moments, but she worked just as well with others. Thanks to her and Glynn Turman as Mickey, a guy with a crush on Maura, there was potential for an authentic older love story, which I did not come for, but would have preferred over any number of scenes, especially the football (yuck).

The most valuable player was Sally Fields who played Betty, a fun nerd. Fields has chemistry with anyone, including a guy in a porta potty that we only hear, never see. She is that good. Whatever they paid her, it was not enough. Her entire story arch took us on an emotional journey as she decided to prioritize herself and have fun. I genuinely laughed, not just thought, “Huh, that is funny.” Field knows the art of playing it straight and being sincere yet killing us with humor. She also gets a competition sequence along with a dance sequence, a running suggestive joke, a couple of flirting scenes and made math amusing. Most of the targeted heartwarming moments were treacly, but Fields manages to nail one about being independent and loving. Sensing genuine emotion, “80 for Brady” wrapped up that story line and put it away as quickly as possible, but it happened. 

There are a lot of cameos. I am certain that I was the only one in the audience who recognized Marc Rebillet, the silk robe wearing DJ—thanks TikTok. Guy Fieri was serviceable as Fields’ fast friend. Keep your eyes peeled for the players at an exclusive poker game. I did not recognize all of them, but was thrilled about the ones that I did, While Brady was wooden in the scenes on the field, he did work well with Tomlin, and I feel as if he brought some authentic emotion from his love for his mom to the role. It is Brady before he started looking gaunt.

The denouement of “80 for Brady” brought the house down as the ladies’ fate gets intrinsically tied to the outcome of the game. The 2017 Super Bowl is the one where the Patriots beat the Falcons during the only time that a game was decided in overtime. Rewatching this allegedly historical moment on the big screen appeared to be a crowd pleaser. I prefer reliving Whitney Houston songs. Others seem to like football games. I had to stifle feelings of nausea and my reflexive desire to run screaming from the theater during the denouement at so much football. I am not exaggerating; however even I could appreciate when Julian Edelman made a stunning catch that defied the odds and physics. Why is not it 80 for Edelman? Oh, right, he did not produce this movie. 

I am just thrilled that I did not pay real money to see “80 for Brady,” but still got an opportunity to watch a great cast put on a show. Still something is wrong with society when four award-laden women—Moreno has an EGOT, only have this type of movie to display their talents. It is still honest work. Actors want to act and pay their bills. They deserve better, but for the most part, they did their best.