Now that Thanksgiving is over, the Christmas season is officially here. One movie that is releasing on Christmas day is far from a feel good story.

“It is surprising at this time of year to see a film like this, films are usually being released for the holiday spirit,” senior Jilmer Fuentes said.  

Concussion, directed by Peter Landesman, tells the true story of Bennet Omalu, a doctor who confronted the NFL and attempted to tackle the issue of concussions. He discovered Chronic Traumatic Enceoholooathy, or CTE, which is a brain disease that can affect someone who has suffered multiple head injuries, such as concussions.

He tried to release this information out to the public, but the NFL questioned Bennet Omalu’s legitimacy and they tried to disparage him. Bennet Omalu is played by the well known Will Smith. Smith has experience playing movies that are based on a true story, such as The Pursuit Of Happiness where he plays Christopher Gardner.

“Will Smith is my favorite actor. He can make me laugh from the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air to making me upset and scared in I Am Legend,” junior Carlos Almaza said.

Other notable actors in the film include Alec Baldwin, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Albert Brooks.

The first trailer of the film was released on Aug. 31, 2015 on YouTube. It got 12 million views and a lot of positive feedback from critics and fans alike.

“I thought the trailer was very well made,” senior Dini Mohamud said, “because it left me wanting to watch the movie.”

“After watching the trailer, I thought the movie would be interesting to watch,” Almaza said. “Not many people know the dangerous side effect of a concussion and how it’s treated. Concussions can be very dangerous, especially for athletes.”

As more Research on the issue has been conducted, preventing concussions has become increasingly important to the NFL during recent years. A recent study carried out by researchers at Boston University and the Department of Veterans Affairs studied the brains of 91 former NFL players. They found signs of CTE in 87 of them.

“I feel that it’s a big issue (concussions) and that many players don’t get it checked out by the team doctor, after big hits like they should,” offensive tackle and senior Ryan Flynn said.

“As a football player, it’s something serious that all athletes should be concerned about,” said Fuentes, who also plays defensive tackle said, “because a concussion can be something deadly and all players should be aware of it.”

This film is not only releasing on Christmas day, but at the end of the NFL regular season. Fans are glued to their TV screens, rooting for their favorite team to make the playoffs. Releasing a movie criticizing the league for covering up concussion information could be a controversial move, especially at this time of the year. However, many feel that no matter what time of year it is, it is an important issue that must be addressed.

“I feel like this is the appropriate time to address the issue, the fans and players should be aware of the risks and the danger in playing the game,” senior Shank Rai said. “We all love football, but to cover up the issue is a poor and immoral decision by the NFL.”