Suave785 This television movie was made in an era of laden with stereotypes of gender roles, racial equality, and masculinity. I don't have to tell you what Brian's Song is about or how it ends. The story is very well known throughout the athletic community and amongst fans of the NFL. But if you don't know the story of Gale Sayers and Brian Piccolo then I suggest you watch this movie. While the above paragraph was very blunt and did not explain why I like this Brian's Song so much I will use one word to describe my undying love for this television move; simplicity. Yeah; simplicity is the reason. Now I do understand that CGI wasn't um a big thing back then but there was still big budget movies and television shows. The actors in the movie are top notch but did not peak in their careers until later on for almost another 10 years. Plus the movie didn't try and make a spectacle out of pro football. The television movie stuck to the story and draws emotion out of you by showing the budding friendship between two men. Even the strongest men and women will cry when watching this movie. The speech that Gale Sayers gives about his love for Brian Piccolo could move mountains with its emotion. The way it is spoken, versed, and yes the simplicity of the speech make it one of the most revered video clips ever. So sit back, grab a box of tissues, and get ready to join a cinema favorite of mine. Trust me if you are not moved to tears while watching this movie seek medical attention right away. :)

knucklebreather Yeah, this movie's pretty good. However, it is kind of limited by the conventions and budgets of the television movie. While some of the introductory scenes are quite good and engrossing, the second act flirts all too closely with melodrama. Yes, it's melodrama that's written, directed and acted well, but it's still melodrama.The film, as is to be expected of a television movie, pales in comparison with a very similar feature film released around the same time, "Bang the Drum Slowly", which tells a similar story, albeit without a racial element, but also without the slightest hint of melodrama."Brian's Song" is somewhat better known, but "Bang the Drum Slowly" is the true masterpiece. Still, "Brian's Song" is a solid film, especially of interest to football fans.

gumby_x2 This low-budget, made-for-television film from the early 70's reminds me again (painfully) why I don't "do" sports movies very often. The characters are little more than clichés in a script that is so loaded with clichés that it is amazing it doesn't sink under its own weight into the oblivion of never-never land. The screenplay by William Blinn is loaded with schmaltzy, corny scenes that are little more than feeble attempts to draw cheap tears from the audience. This type of film might appeal to jocks whose hat size is larger than their IQ, but the thinking person will avoid this movie like the plague and won't wont dare to let it contaminate their DVD. A better bet is the sports movie "Rudy."

buttercupywesley of their friendship.I have the film on VHS so I don't know what the DVD extras provided. I did read Sayers book "I am Third" (referencing how he prioritizes himself) decades ago and IIRC Brian and Gale did room together. They also played the same position on the team. They also came aboard the Bears team at the same time. I imagine Gale is embarrassed by the way the Movie makes their relationship almost supernatural in it's heroic nature. In his book he devotes a chapter to Brian and makes it clear that Brian's death affected him and helped add perspective to certain things. The fact that these 2 existed together and competed against each other and found friendship during such a seminal moment in the USA's history is worthy of note.Their real life stories contain the flavor of a contemporary Greek tragedy: 2 men with gifted physical attributes. One of the men from a place where friendship among such equals is forbidden (think Ben Hur's Messala), the other man (of superior physical gifts - think Ben Hur) from a place where judgments are rendered in a more civil way. Both men full of physical courage who learn the nature and importance of philosophical courage (think Hector or Achilles). And when both men have endured much and given much to strangers and each other, when both men feel they understand how unfair and wrong the world can be, fate requires they learn the most painful of lessons: That whatever the injustice, Death (incarnate) is the most callous and unfeeling of teachers.