Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno, and Sally Field play the lead roles in '80 for Brady,' a sports comedy film directed by Kyle Marvin. The four elderly women follow the Patriots' winning streak on an adventure to see their favorite player compete in Super Bowl LI in Houston.
'80 for Brady' is a film about four women who meet and grow up together. Here's all you need to know about their inspiration.
Is Brady's 80-year-old story a true one?
'80 for Brady' is partly based on a true story. Sarah Haskins and Emily Halpern are well-known for co-writing the 2019 coming-of-age comedy film 'Booksmart,' directed by Olivia Wilde. The film's title refers to American football player Tom Brady.
Betty Pensavalle, Elaine St. Martin, Claire Boardman, and their friends Pat and Anita formed a fan club called "Over 80 for Brady." The five women dubbed themselves as "Over 80 for Brady." The women became friends after losing their husbands and living in a Massachusetts town.
Max Gross, the grandson of Pensavalle, was said to have pitched the idea to turn the Over 80 for Brady fan club's narrative into a feature film. Eventually, Haskins and Halpern adapted the script, while Kyle Marvin served as the director. However, the film's premise is mostly fictional and heavily deviates from reality.
Firstly, the iteration of Brady fans' wives is only marginally different from the real women, with the characters' names being altered. Moreover, the group only consists of four friends rather than five. For artistic reasons, the filmmakers may have amalgamated Pat and Anita into a single character.
Other scenes in the film, such as the women competing in a hot wing eating competition and posing as backup dancers for the Super Bowl's halftime show, are not genuine stories written by the writers in order to advance the narrative.
Betty Pensavalle and Elaine St. Martin are currently active in the fan club, with Claire Boardman passing away, and Pat and Anita living in an assisted living facility. However, the film attempts to recreate the events of Super Bowl LI, with Brady's former teammates, Rob Gronkowski, Danny Amendola, and Julian Edelman making guest appearances.
'80 for Brady' is primarily a fictional narrative that draws light inspiration from Betty Pensavalle, Elaine St. Martin, Claire Boardman, and Anita's friendship. Despite this, the film honors the characters' emotional attachment to their favorite football player and maintains their authenticity.
