Brian's Song

Director: Buzz Kulik
Year Released: 1971
Rating: 2.0

Originally made-for-TV movie about the friendly competition between two football players for the Chicago Bears - taciturn Gale Sayers (Billy Dee Williams) and feisty Brian Piccolo (James Caan) - that comes to an end when Piccolo is diagnosed with cancer and passes away at the incredibly young age of 26. Though it's usually mentioned in listings for the 'best sports movies,' I find it - despite the inherent tragedy - to still carry with it the trappings of made-for-TV soap operas, only it's about a (platonic) bromance instead of a romance. The chemistry between Williams and Caan is noteworthy, but knowing where it's headed from frame one takes a lot of the power out of it.