Leatherheads
A 2008 sports comedy film about the Duluth Bulldogs, a struggling pro football team in 1925. In order to revive the team, World War I hero Carter "The Bullet" Rutherford (John Krasinski) is recruited to the team, much to the chagrin of team captain Jimmy "Dodge" Connelly (George Clooney).
This appears to be working until a reporter, Lexie (Renee Zellweger), uncovers the truth: Carter's war hero status was a fluke rather than true heroics.
Meanwhile, Dodge's attempts to get football legitimized backfire on him when the newly formed football league starts outlawing improvised tactics and enforcing rules.
Tropes used in Leatherheads include:
- Big Game: Although the game is finally won by "improvisational tactics" (read: cheating).
- Betty and Veronica: Dodge and Carter to Lexie.
- Hot Scoop: Lexie as played by Renee Zellweger? Hell yes.
- Intrepid Reporter: Lexie
- Love Triangle: Between Dodge, Carter, and Lexie.
- The Roaring Twenties
- Romantic Comedy: A throwback to the Screwball Comedy variety common in the 1930s.
- Trailers Always Lie: All of the TV spots advertising the film were careful to avoid any hint that it might involve American football, instead making it look like a romantic comedy with a very weird title.