Concussion

Concussion has built a devoted audience in Australia on Amazon Prime Video and Stan, and in the US on Netflix among viewers who want their drama to earn its emotional beats. The runtime earns every minute, with nothing here that feels like padding. 2,730 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Will Smith's performance alone is worth the time investment. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Amazon Prime Video.

There is a reason Concussion keeps coming up in conversation. Character-driven storytelling at its most effective — Concussion earns every emotional beat it goes for. A dramatic thriller based on the incredible true David vs. Goliath story of American immigrant Dr. Bennet Omalu, the brilliant forensic neuropathologist who made the first discovery of CTE, a football-related brain trauma, in a pro player and fought for the truth to be known. Will Smith and Alec Baldwin lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2015. The performances in Concussion do a lot of work in the silences between the dialogue. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Concussion is what you recommend to people who say they do not really watch much. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Will Smith is the centre of it, and it is one of their strongest performances on record. The patience it asks of you early on is paid back with interest.