There was a time when being a college football legend was enough to insulate you from any outside criticism. That was certainly the case with Penn State’s Joe Paterno, who coached his team to more wins in college football history. But his legendary career came tumbling down over child sexual abuse charges against his defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, with Paterno helping to cover it up. The story of Paterno’s downfall will be chronicled in Paterno, with Al Pacino commanding the field as the disgraced coach.
Pacino reunites with director Barry Levinson, and marks the actor’s third time starring in a biopic for HBO. He played Jack Kevorkian in You Don’t Know Jack, and then starred in the Levinson-produced Phil Spector, about the infamous record exec’s murder trial.
Here is the synopsis: HBO Films’ PATERNO centers on Penn State’s Joe Paterno in the aftermath of the Jerry Sandusky sexual abuse scandal. After becoming the winningest coach in college football history, Paterno’s legacy is challenged and he is forced to face questions of institutional failure in regard to the victims.
Also starring Kathy Baker, Riley Keough, Greg Grunberg, and Annie Parisse, Paterno hits HBO on April 7th.
