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Will Smith stars as Dr. Bennet Omalu in the drama "Concussion."

Concussion is a dangerous word.

With “Concussion” the movie heading to theaters on Christmas Day, who wants to let the skeletons out of the closet on the holidays? Who wants to see Will Smith in the performance of a lifetime as Dr. Bennet Omalu, or Alec Baldwin co-starring as Dr. Julian Bailes? Written and directed by Peter Landesman, the film should come with tissues instead of popcorn.

Omalu raises awareness of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or CTE, a progressive degenerative disease found in people with a history of repetitive brain trauma through blows to the head, particularly after performing an autopsy on Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Mike Webster. As a result of Omalu’s breakthrough research, the sport’s safety is called into question.

“Concussion” does not bash football. If anything, it glorifies the sport, but it reminds us that love demands sacrifice. Sometimes the price is more than it could ever give in return.

Smith’s portrayal depicts what happens when the world receives something it does not comprehend and finds it easier to place in a neat little box in the back of the closet. Why find a solution for a problem when ignoring it or putting a bandage on proves far easier? Perhaps the swirling cinematography will make heads spin, but if one has ever suffered a concussion, he or she knows it cannot compare to the headaches, nausea and other bits that come with it.  

Concussions have occurred for centuries, and they’re not going away anytime soon. While the film reflects the struggle people coping with them face, too often the world at large wants to dismiss their ramifications. Perhaps this film can open the eyes of participants and bystanders. It hardly calls for individuals to stop playing football, but it does question the way we care for his our own bodies.

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