Hardball
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Movie Reviews of Hardball
Movie Review: Too many storylines and not enough time
Summary: 3 Stars
"Hardball" is another of many movies about which I have to say, "I wanted to like it more than I did;" at best, it may be worth watching once. Other reviewers have covered the fact that there is a bit too much cursing in the movie at times, especially by the kids in the movie, and this is one reason why it won't get any repeated viewings or more than a three-star recommendation from me.
Beyond the cursing issue, however, lie some other problems. This movie tries too hard to follow too many formulas: 1) Man coaches underdogs to championship; 2) Man meets woman, loses woman, regains woman; 3) Man turns over a new leaf and finds redemption (of sorts); and 4) Life in the ghetto is hard (and often short). It's difficult to pull together so many divergent story lines in 1 hour and 46 minutes of film time, and "Hardball" leaves you with some blanks that you wish had been filled in.
Far too much time is spent on showing us how low Keanu Reeves' character has sunk. The viewer understands that he is down and out and desperate after the first few minutes, so more time could have been spent on the coaching or romantic storylines.
The kids on the baseball team, in spite of the fact that their cursing isn't as adorable as the filmmakers apparently thought it was, are the best thing about this movie, and the viewer can't help but root for their team to become winners. The problem is that we don't get to see how this happens. In spite of the facts that they are horrible in their first game and that Reeves doesn't seem to know the first thing about coaching baseball, they go on an improbable championship run. As I said, more time could have been better spent showing the interactions and growing relationship between Reeves and the kids.
We also don't see much of the relationship between Reeves' and Diane Lane's characters. They are antagonists at first, and their first `date' (if you could call it that) certainly doesn't bring them closer together. Yet, by the end of the film, they appear to have grown quite close. Again, the viewer just has to accept that this has happened since it is not shown.
By the end of the film, Reeves' character has a changed attitude and approach to life, and he truly cares about coaching the kids. The shooting toward the end of the film hammers home the `life in the ghetto is tough' theme and definitely stirs up the emotions of the viewer. The final outcome of the championship game is predictable and clichéd, but it couldn't have ended any other way after the shooting and it does leave the viewer feeling somewhat fulfilled (in spite of all the gaps contained in the film).
Movie Review: THE OLD BALL GAME
Summary: 3 Stars
In a recent MSN review of "Constantine," the critic says Keanu Reeves is one of the worst actors out there. In HARDBALL, Reeves tends to prove this critic wrong. Granted, Reeves will probably never see an Oscar on his mantelpiece, but he has shown considerable growth over the years. (See: THE GIFT, THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE for example). In this one, he takes a character who we immediately dislike and turns him into a guy we can root for. The main problem is it is hard to feel sorry for a guy whose life is crap because he can't seem to stop gambling; he doesn't have a job, it appears and he expects everyone to feel sorry for him. Sorry, dude....can't go there with you. His assignment to coach the ragtag bunch of lower class kids at first seems too contrived to be convincing, but as the movie goes along and Reeves becomes a heroic figure to these tragic children, we can see and feel more for both Reeves and the kids. HARDBALL is also smart enough not to become a "sports" movie per se; it has some charming moments such as the pitcher who needs the rap song to throw a dangerously fast curve ball. But in crucial moments, it doesn't drag out the game inning by inning, and the final two games are anti-cliche in the direction they take. The film has a surprising tragic twist at the end and it will work your tear ducts, but the movie ends on an upbeat note, and avoids the standard cliches involved.
Diane Lane has a supporting role, but it's not fleshed out enough to have an impact; John Hawkes as Ticky is good, as is Mike McGlone as the smooth Jimmy Fleming. The kids are all competent, and do what they are supposed to do. Reeves handles the funeral scene quite eloquently.
All in all, HARDBALL does what it set out to do and for that reason, is an entertaining movie.
Movie Review: Remember THE BAD NEWS BEARS?...
Summary: 3 Stars
Conor O'Neil (Keanu Reeves) is a problem gambler with a massive debt looming over his head. Desperate for money he accepts a job coaching a baseball team consisting of ghetto kids at the sum of $500 a week for 10 weeks. (That's over NZ$1000 a week for coaching kids. Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it?). Predictably O'Neil first sees this as just another job, but soon he finds he enjoys the coaching and giving these underprivelaged kids hope. You can guess the rest of the story without too much trouble: among the token players are The Gangsta Rap fan, The Swearer and the obligatory Fat Kid; all of which go a long way toward displaying screenwriter John Gattin's gift for strong characterisation. It's rare that a true story, based on Daniel Coyle's book about his real life experiences should be so formulaic and predictable. Of course the inevitable tragedys are thrown in to manipulate sensitive viewers, as well as the expected triumph over adversity. HARDBALL is a movie which will be loved by people who only see one or two films a year. This is basically a less amusing spin on THE BAD NEWS BEARS, but despite that HARDBALL is still a reasonably entertaining film. The kids do a good job, and Diane Lane is excellent as well as SEX-Y; but sadly, Reeves is awful. Early on a drunken Keanu punches through both a car window AND a store window- all without severing any major arteries OR displaying one iota of acting talent. Were his good performances in PERMANENT RECORD and SPEED just flukes? Tune in to MATRIX RELOADED; now playing in a cinema near you, to find out.
Movie Review: About taking chances
Summary: 3 Stars
Hardball is as many other reviewers have said: a decent movie about a drinking, gambling man (Reeves, who plays Connor) who owes more than one bookie much more money than he has, and about his time spent coaching an inner-city boys baseball team. What is different about Hardballs than other similar movies about kids baseball teams?It's about taking chances (more than just gambling), and shooting down some stereotypes about people - kids who don't care or don't study, parents who aren't aware of what their kids are doing, etc. There is a boy on the team whose mother only allows him to play baseball if Connor will agree to help the boy read the books he is assigned and keep up in class. One of the best scenes off the field was when the boy is called upon in class and since he is silent, he is assumed to have NOT read the book. When he finally speaks, it's rewarding to both the teacher, Connor, and the audience.
The kids on the team (the Kekambas) learn to take a chance on each other; we don't get to see much of the process of their learning to encourage one another and learning NOT to back-talk or argue with one another, but we do get a glimpse of how Connor tries to guide them away from teasing that hurts to being teammates that help one another. Not only does Connor take a chance by leaving what he knows of gambling behind to help the kids on his team, but the kids (and in some cases, the parents, and the kids' teacher) really take a chance on Connor, too. When he quits the team, when he tells off the teacher - what happens to the kids? Watch and see.
Movie Review: Better than the Bad News Bears
Summary: 3 Stars
The longer that you watch this movie, the better it gets.Conor O'Neill (played by Keanu Reeves) is addicted to two things - alcohol and gambling. As far as I could tell, he didn't have a day job -- instead he existed by placing bets with everyone from the barber to the bartender. In his spare time, he scalps tickets with his only buddy.
His bets go bad quickly and he ends up owing a lot of money. When he asks help from a childhood friend who works for a financial institution, he agrees to pay him $500 a week to coach a baseball team of inner-city kids.
My favorite scene is when Conor goes home with one of the kids. He asks why everyone is sitting down. The kid responds that it's too avoid the bullets. When asked what he does for fun, he responds, "Play baseball with you."
After that, Conor is a changed man and the movie keeps getting better. I've never been to the inner-city but I believe that this movie does a good job of showing us what it is like to grow up in that environment.