Requiem for a Running Back

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Daniel A A remarkable, must-see film for all Americans in 2023, now re-cut from the original 2016 version. Director Rebecca Carpenter courageously invites us into a deeply intimate space: that between her and her father. But not just any father. A father who scaled the elite heights of professional sports as a star player, then coach for the legendary Vince Lombardi, and in so doing provided financial means and deep pride for his family, not to mention immense joy to his devoted Packer fans. And then her father began to withdraw emotionally, opening up a mystery that altered Rebecca life in ways she couldn't understand at the time. With the benefit of rapidly emerging science and her own odyssey of unflinching, occasionally wrenching inquiry, we watch her piece together what really happened. Rebecca's illumination presents a moral quandary to all Americans who watch the uniquely balletic and seductive game of football. She studiously refrains from sermonizing or indulging in easy answers. A skilled and subtle documentarian, she leaves that to us. She shines a spotlight on powerful voices like the understated hero Chris Borland, a star middle linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers who was dubbed the "most dangerous man in the NFL" not for his fearsome hits but rather his searing honesty and bold action. Rebecca earns our trust with this unique glimpse into the love, and consequences, underlying one of our most enduring national spectacles. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/11/23 Full Review Mary B I've watched this film so many times, and every single time it touches my heart deeply and differently. It's an emotional movie that is filled with so much love, you can feel it! The story is told by Rebecca Carpenter, the daughter of legendary Green Bay Packers running back, Lew Carpenter. I loved all the cameos from famous faces of professional sports as well! You will learn a lot about the highs and lows of a professional football career, but also about the power of love, compassion, and forgiveness. This film truly has it all, and the journey is beautifully composed. I can't wait to watch it again. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/01/23 Full Review Jacob S Though I was somewhat familiar with some of the issues around football and its risks, this powerful film gutted me. Football has always had a primal appeal to me, but seeing this film, especially the powerful interviews with the families of former players, left me with an understanding of the lethal price of the game's appeal. The stories told here, by football players and their families as well as by researchers and brain scientists, have haunted me ever since watching this film. I now understand the game differently and was not surprised to hear that the NFL doesn't want people watching this film. Highly, highly recommended. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Powerful movie that is bound to make the NFL take notice. While this movie is about Lew Carpenter, a star NFL player who suffered, unbeknownst to his family, from advanced CTE, it is really about the his youngest daughter coming to terms with realizing her dad suffered from sever brain damage, and how that affected their relationship. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review Audience Member Excellent! It should be shown in every school in America. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/02/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Requiem for a Running Back

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