Any Given Sunday

ANY GIVEN SUNDAY —**1/2 — Al Pacino, Cameron Diaz, Dennis Quaid, James Woods, Jamie Foxx, Ll Cool J, Matthew Modine, Charlton Heston, Ann-Margret; rated R (profanity, nudity, violence, vulgarity, drug use); Carmike 12, Creekside Center and Ritz 15 Theaters; Century Theatres 16; Cinemark 2ordan Landing Theaters; Loews Cineplex Midvalley, South Towne Center, Trolley North and Trolley Square Mall Cinemas.

Since this football movie of epic proportions is directed by Oliver Stone, it's sure to shed some light on the vast arena (no pun intended) of devastating pigskin conspiracies, once and for all.

Kidding aside, Stone has gone out of his way to take a fairly easy-to-understand (not to mention enjoy) story line and make it more complicated by adding some unnecessary subplots, recognizable stars with too-small parts and what seem to be outtakes from a rap music video centered around the sport.

Pieced together, the film pushes three hours in length, coming in at a whopping 170 minutes.

Tony D'Amato (Al Pacino) is the grizzled, growling coach of the Miami Sharks, a team that hasn't won a championship in four years — not since winning two AFFA (Associated Football Franchises of America) championships in a row.

On top of his pining for another win, D'Amato struggles with having aging quarterback Jack "Cap" Rooney (Dennis Quaid), being unlucky in love (not only is he divorced, but his only comfort is offered by a call girl, played by "Showgirls' " Elizabeth Hurley) and butting heads with Christina Pagniacci (Cameron Diaz), the volatile young president/co-owner of the Sharks. And, while he doesn't quite exhibit "Scarface"-type ferocity, Pacino does serve up his share of delectable blow-ups, which serves to make his character one of the strongest roles in the film.

Once Rooney (Quaid) is injured, D'Amato calls upon the Shark's third-string, seventh-round draft pick, Willie Beamen (Jamie Foxx), who, surprising everyone, breathes new life into the team. However, he doesn't read the plays D'Amato gives him to study — changing them while in the huddle — he does front flips into the end zone and he faithfully tosses his cookies every time he enters the field.

For all the things Beamen does wrong, however, the Sharks begin to regain their popularity, largely due to his influence. D'Amato, who feels there is more to the game of football than winning, is torn between winning his games haphazardly with his new star and maintaining the dignity he has fought for all his years as a football coach.