Leatherheads

Leatherheads (2008) is a throwback comedy you can watch online on iFILM, directed by George Clooney. It drops us into 1925, the rough early days of professional American football, back when the league barely had funding and almost no rules.

Clooney plays Dodge Connelly, the aging captain of a scrappy team about to fold for lack of money. To keep it alive, he lures in college star and decorated war hero Carter Rutherford (John Krasinski), a marquee name who can put fans in the stands. The catch: quick-witted reporter Lexie Littleton (Renée Zellweger) suspects Carter's wartime legend is shakier than the headlines claim. As she digs into his past, both men fall for her, and a rivalry sparks that outguns anything on the field.

Clooney built the picture as a love letter to 1930s screwball comedy, all rapid-fire banter, jazz, and mud-caked tackles. It is a light, easygoing charmer for anyone who enjoys old-fashioned flirting and a sports backdrop with no heavy drama. Stream Leatherheads (2008) online on iFILM.