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Hardball
Movie Stats & Links |
| Starring: |
Keanu Reeves, Diane Lane, John
Hawkes, D.B. Sweeney |
| MPAA Rated: |
PG-13 |
| Released By: |
Paramount
Pictures |
| Web Site: |
www.hardballmovie.com |
| Kiddie Movie: |
Not too young, and it might be a
little emotional for them. |
| Date Movie: |
She'll be blubbering on your
shoulder. |
| Gratuitous Sex: |
Nah. |
| Gratuitous
Violence: |
Keanu gets roughed up some. |
| Action: |
More suspense. |
| Laughs: |
The kids are great. |
| Memorable
Scene: |
When Little G plays the part of
sports agent. |
| Memorable
Quote: |
None. |
| Directed By: |
Brian Robbins |
| Produced By: |
Tina Nides, Mike Tollin, Brian
Robbins |
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Hardball
A Movie Review |
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"Hardball" could have been dubbed "the
feel-good movie of the year" all until a scene late in the
movie that snaps you back into reality. Reality sucks sometimes.
Anyway, "Hardball" tells the sort of real but
doctored-by-Hollywood story of Conor (Keanu Reeves), a gambler who
finds happiness by coaching a group of kids living in the projects
of Chicago. Here we go…
Conor likes gambling on sporting events, the only problem is that
he isn’t really any good at it. In debt to a bunch of bookies, as
a last resort he turns to a stock broker buddy who, rather than keep
on bailing him out, hires Conor to coach the team they sponsor (and
don’t sponsor well) in the projects. Conor is in it solely for his
weekly check so he doesn’t get his legs broken, and we see this at
the beginning. Does he really coach the kids? No. What does he do
when he finds out he might lose his coaching gig because they don’t
have enough players? Convince the parents that he’ll help their
kids with their schoolwork. Does he have any idea of the lives the
kids are leaving? Not until he keeps them after dark for practice
and one of the kids gets beat up going home, and when he takes
another home, the boy asks Conor if he would like to see where he
lived, and as Conor is walking through the halls he asks why
everyone sits on their floor to which is replied so they don’t get
shot by stray bullets through the windows.
Eventually Conor begins to snap into reality and sees himself as
having a bigger purpose other than just a degenerate gambler.
Finally, when he wins big enough to pay off his debts, rather than
roll the money over, well, he takes the kids to a baseball game
(complete with a really dorky scene with Sammy Sosa).
"Hardball" does its best to manipulate your
heartstrings and does it well, and a lot of people are criticizing
it for that. But isn’t that what Hollywood does? Sure, the movie
is based on a true story and gets manipulated, but it does what you
would expect – has you immediately liking the kids even with their
foul mouths; has you at first despising Conor but then growing to
love him; and hits you with an emotional scene.
Life isn’t always great and "Hardball" shows this.
But life does have its moments of greatness and happiness and
"Hardball" shows this as well. Expect some stereotypes,
expect a "where does this really fit" love story, and
expect a movie that will manipulate you into getting a little
emotional – it’s what Hollywood usually does best.
I liked "Hardball" even though I knew it was
manipulating me. It showed that kids will be kids, that sometimes
degenerates change, and, well, I just liked the movie. It wasn’t
great, but I’ll give it 3 ½ stars out of 5. There isn’t too
much out there right now so go ahead and pay full price.
That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!! |
