Kelce (2023)

Shot from the movie

Kelce 2023

5.7/10
A warm and comforting sports profile that doesn't do much with its likable subject

Whether you're already deeply familiar with Jason Kelce, his family, and the podcast he runs with younger brother and fellow player Travis Kelce—or if you only have cursory knowledge about American football—this documentary doesn't provide many meaningful insights beyond the obvious. Eagles devotees should still enjoy spending time with their equally passionate and vulnerable hometown hero, but there's still a missed opportunity here to create a stronger and more thought-provoking story concerned with bigger ideas beyond the titular player. It's okay for a documentary like this to be on its main character's side, but when the film tries too hard to frame Kelce as an underdog, it just begins to look like generic PR—which Kelce neither needs nor deserves.

Synopsis

An intimate and emotional documentary that chronicles Philadelphia Eagles team captain and All-Pro center Jason Kelce’s 2022 season, which began with him confronting one of the most challenging decisions any professional athlete will ever face—is now the time to hang it up?

Storyline

Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce tries to make the most out of his 2022–23 football season as his body struggles to keep up with the demands of the sport.

TLDR

This may not have taught me much about American football, but it did teach me more about Philadelphia sports fans than I ever could've expected in my lifetime. (Don't piss them off.)

What stands out

The film doesn't do the best job at balancing Kelce's career highlights with the tender moments he spends as a family man at home, but the latter are where the film approaches more interesting territory. Kelce's wife, Kylie McDevitt, is the one who brings up the fact that the physical risks of playing football for as long as Kelce has can interfere even just with how he interacts with his kids. There's an idea that's floated around about how football players are sort of set up for their 15 minutes of fame, before having to retire to a life of permanent damage and limited prospects—something that the film isn't interested in as much as it should be, but it's still a note worth pondering.