Rated: PG-13
Running Time:1:55Tabitha's Rating: *****/5
Synopsis: A man with a serious debt to bookies is offered a job coaching a little league team of kids who live in the projects of New York.
I went to the theater with low expectations for two reasons. First, I have never liked the acting of Keanu Reeves. I always had him pinned as a nonemotional actor, too flat. After I saw his most recent film, Hardball, I was completely shocked, and completely thrilled. Keanu actually looked like he cared...like he felt the emotions he was proclaiming and I loved it. Secondly, the previews just looked too much like The Mighty Ducks with Emilio Estevez. Troubled man has to coach a hockey team, but this time, it's baseball. I was completely wrong in that assumption. Mighty Ducks is a cute kids movie, but it's pretty much one dimensional. Hardball, on the other hand, takes the concept to many more levels.
The story is about a group of young boys from the ghetto. I never realized people, especially kids, actually lived like that. The images on the screen were horrifying. Gangs of older boys the kids have to walk through to get to their home, and sometimes, they don't make it safely. The people have to sit on the floor, away from windows, so they don't get shot by flying bullets. Conor (Reeves) asks one of the kids "what do you do around here for fun?" and his reply is "play baseball with you". Understanding where they come from helps you understand the kids. Conor doesn't live in such a great place himself, though it is a step up from the projects. His problem are the multidues of bookies after him. Conor never expected to be able to help these kids, he knew we was pretty much a loser. And he certainly never expected the kids to help him at all. But they lift eachother up to a higher place, it's really beautiful.
Woohoo! Everyone's lives are a little bit better now! They are a winning team! The coach is a winning person! Happy ending? They live in the ghetto, baseball cannot make it all better. I was heartbroken and then warmed by the ending, but I don't want to give it away.
Bottomline: Bring a box of tissues, but you'll walk away with a smile
