TV Review: 'Paterno' Features a Good Cast In Average Film

HBO Movies carry a certain degree of weight. Al Pacino and director Barry Levinson have made many a film together for HBO. Their latest, "Paterno," continues a string of strong performances for Pacino. Levinson, however, lacks originality in the film he is telling. The movie takes on an interesting topic but narrows it too much that it misses why the story is interesting and important.

Penn State football coach Joe Paterno (Al Pacino) was at the top of his game. On October 29, 2011, Paterno coached his 409th win for Penn State in 61 years, a record. Shortly after, a child sex abuse accusation is waged against former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky (Jim Johnson), that sends the Penn State football program into turmoil. “The Patriot News” reporter Sara Ganim (Riley Keough) breaks the news of how far back the child molestation went with Sandusky. As the investigation continues, Paterno’s name gets brought up. Did he do enough? Was he responsible for the abuse? Did he turn a blind eye? As the accusations grow, Paterno faces increasing pressure to speak on the matter.

With so many angles to take on the Jerry Sandusky child molestation story, it’s strange HBO chose this one. Joe Paterno exists as a figure that was taken down due to his proximity and culpability within the story. Rather than making the molestation the focus, we are treated to the story of how it brought down a prolific Penn State coach as well. This would be interesting if there were more meat to the Paterno story. However, the movie shows us many different scenes of Paterno refusing to learn more about the situation than he already knew.

This wouldn’t be as damning if we weren’t also treated to a more interesting story at the same time. Sara Ganim (Riley Keough) breaks the scandal for “The Patriot News” and continues to cover the story. This also involves meeting with Aaron Fisher (Ben Cook), aka “Victim 1” whose testimony was part of an early expose accusing Sandusky. Yes, we’ve already seen “Spotlight” follow journalists as they expose the systematic structures that enable child molestation. However, this angle remains more interesting than giving a standard look at a famous figure being taken down.

Al Pacino excels at the cadence and physicality of Joe Paterno. It’s a transformative role that nails the transformation. Even so, there’s something missing from the performance. Later scenes, particularly a pool set dream sequence, give us a glimpse into Joe’s perception of events. However, much of the movie takes places as he seeks to remove himself from the controversy.

The supporting casts equip themselves just as well. Kathy Baker gets many standout moments as Joe’s wife, Sue. Her reactions as she reads the indictment are particularly visceral and wrenching. Riley Keough once again shows us that she is a star on the rise. There’s a better movie about her diligent reporter covering a story no one wants told. Ben Cook as Aaron Fisher is appropriately wrenching and hints at a different film about the effects of sexual assault. Even Greg Grunberg and Annie Parisse, as Joe’s kids, fill out the film well.

Oscar-winning director Barry Levinson has become HBO’s go-to person for TV movies, between “The Wizard of Lies,” “Phil Spector,” “You Don’t Know Jack” and this. His style remains relatively unchanged but shows moments of visual panache. He keeps things moving along relatively well, but his laser focus on Paterno robs the movie of wider scope.

Some of the stronger moments in the film near the end spotlight the reaction to Paterno’s firing. Non-sports fans call for his removal. The community around the school takes to the streets. Dichotomies like these make for a compelling story. A narrative that asks the question of where culpability begins would be really interesting. “Paterno” stops short of that as it studies this character that wants little examination. Child molestation is a serious topic that is plagued by systemic issues and cover-ups. Understanding the machinations at place that enabled Sandusky’s actions would make for a more compelling film.

“Paterno” is already available on HBO.

GRADE: (★★1/2)

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