Amazon.com

Clint Eastwood's 25th film as a director, Million Dollar Baby stands proudly with Unforgiven and Mystic River as the masterwork of a great American filmmaker. In an age of bloated spectacle and computer-generated effects extravaganzas, Eastwood turns an elegant screenplay by Paul Haggis (adapted from the book Rope Burns: Stories From the Corner by F.X. Toole, a pseudonym for veteran boxing manager Jerry Boyd) into a simple, humanitarian example of classical filmmaking, as deeply felt in its heart-wrenching emotions as it is streamlined in its character-driven storytelling. In the course of developing powerful bonds between "white-trash" Missouri waitress and aspiring boxer Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank), her grizzled, reluctant trainer Frankie Dunn (Eastwood), and Frankie's best friend and training-gym partner Eddie "Scrap-Iron" Dupris (Morgan Freeman), 74-year-old Eastwood mines gold from each and every character, resulting in stellar work from his well-chosen cast. Containing deep reserves of love, loss, and the universal desire for something better in hard-scrabble lives, Million Dollar Baby emerged, quietly and gracefully, as one of the most acclaimed films of 2004, released just in time to earn an abundance of year-end accolades, all of them well-deserved. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (186)

Everyone's already taken the compliments this movie can get
I can't believe how much I liked this movie. I'm not really one for Boxing or Dramas (Unless their really good) but I was was pleasantly surprised.

Good performances on all sides (Hilary really deserved that Oscar), and the film also has you caring for the characters...maybe not all of them, but definately Hilary Swank.

- - -SPOILERS AHEAD- - -
I hate using words like "heartbreaking," but that's just what the ending to this story was. It will wreck you for a week. My Dad, who I viewed the movie with, hated the ending. He wanted one of those fairy tale finishes but, in reality, the world doesn't have too many of those. I, on the other hand (While I was fighting like Mike Tyson to hold back tears), admire Clint Eastwood for not being afraid to take a story (no matter how "good" or "inspiring" it is) and do a complete 180 from the cliche ending it seemed it was heading. It takes big grapes to do that.

Boxing Hilary?
This movie uses its extremely strong characters and a decent storyline to create what could literally be called a modern day classic. It shows a softer side to Clint Eastwood that I am not sure we have ever seen before. Hilary Swank is outstanding - I wish I had a better word for her performance - but I am not sure there is one. They key to this film is her ability to pull off the boxing segments in a convincing manner - and she does that in spades. Her right hook appears to be truly devastating. Morgan Freeman also turns in an awesome performance - both he and Swank are worthy of the Oscar. Million Dollar Baby is a film that should not be missed. See it.

A Great Movie With An Unbelievable Scene!!!
This movie stars Clint Eastwood and Hilary Swank who seems to get another Academy Award every time she appears in a movie.This movie seems to be a female version of Rocky at the start but then becomes a touching human drama. The only thing that spoiled this movie for me was the usual sanitized Hollywood Death Scene. The last time I checked if your oxygen supply is cut off then you turn red, then blue then purple.Not so in this movie. I am sure that Doctor Kevorkian would have loved this movie for this reason alone.

Million Dollar Baby
Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman are fantastic and Hillary Swank absolutey stunning and beautiful even while dawning shorts and sweating like the proverbial pig.This is easily the best movie I've seen in years, it is a must see for not only boxing fans, but anyone who enjoys a movie that has it all.Did I mention Hillary Swank:)

Should be about 17 stars
Let's face it Clint Eastwood's head should be up on Mt. Rushmore.While critics are going bananas over garbage like Kill Bill & Shanghai Noon & Pulp Fiction & nonsense like Star Wars..Clint not only consistently delivers the goodsHeck,,even his lesser pictures like Every Which Way But Loose and Space Cowboys are hugely entertaining. this is along with Unforgiven his crowning achievement. In other words it's as good as it gets...& to think it's about a female boxer of all things...just see it. ... Read more

Description

Based on a remarkable true story, "Remember the Titans" follows the explosive dramatic events that took place in Alexandria, Virginia in 1971 when African-American football coach Herman Boone (Academy Award-winner Denzel Washington) was hired to guide an integrated but racially polarized high school team, the T.C. Williams Titans. Angry, stubborn and a rigid task master, Boone faces a cool reception from the team's players as well as an awkward relationship with assistant coach Bill Yoast (Will Patton), a local white coach with seniority and a tradition of winning who was bypassed for the job. As the two men learn to overcome their ignorance and bigotry and realize that they have much in common and integrity, honor and a strong work ethic. They work together to transform a group of angry unfocused players into a dynamic winning team of responsible young men. In the process, they also unite a divided community and ensure that Virginia will always "Remember the Titans." ... Read more

Reviews (209)

You will remember the titans...
No matter whether you're a fan of sports or not, Remember the Titans is an incredibly inspiring film.
Based on a true story, it is set in 1971 at TC Williams High School, a school that is about to intergrate white and balck students for the first time.
The school's football team meet pre-season, and the separate white and balck groups must learn to get along under the guidance of Coach Herman Boon (Denzel Washington).
What follows is a remarkably touching and powerful story, that mixes tragedy and success.
Great acting by all involved, especially the black members of the cast, who are funny and add something else to an already 5-star film.
For movie fans of all genres, Remember the Titans is a great movie that will inspire you and having you watch it again and again. This is the greatest sports film ever made, and it is sure to have watching intently from beginning to end.

A MOVING STORY OF HEROIC DETERMINATION
Denzel Washington is Coach Boone, a black football coach who finds himself in unfamiliar territory when he is appointed head coach of a high school team in its first year of intergration. When the fomer coach Yoast agrees to be his assistant it seems that turmoil and not determination will rule the squad.

Boone's determination to win is only outmatched by his drive for racial harmony within the team and coaching staff. By forcing his players to interact he creates bonds and friendships. Throughout all of this he knows he must win or his tenure as head coach will be short lived. He must not only battle the racial tension in the team, but in the town as well. Only his sheer will can guide his team to the promised land.

The movie is an outstanding piece of cinema. It adresses a social issue with raw emotional power. It teaches a lesson without screaming it in your face. The acting is without a doubt full of some of the best performances of the year to not have been recognized by Oscar and the likes. While Denzel Washington and Will Patton are phenomenal the show is stolen by the members of the team. Watch this film and you will get the point. An emotional five star film worth watching again and again.

Hands down, one of the greatest movies I ever watched.
Believe it or not, I never even heard of this movie until recently. I'm not a big sports fan, or a sport movie fan so when my boyfriend brough this over to watch, I was less than thrilled.

However, once it started, I was captivated by it.

The movie is made even better based on the fact it is based on a true story. The jist of it is this... Herman Boone, played by Denzel Wahsinton perfectly, takes over as new head coach at a high school that has been desegregated. Naturally, the town has mixed reactions.

We watch as Boone, uses tactics that neither the players, the parents, the townsfolk or even his assistant coaches like to force the players to not only become a team but also respect each other as people. We watch as friendships form, and as a team forms.

Eventually we watch as the winning football team, and essentially Boone brings the town together.

This movie brings something to the table for everyone. I laughed, I cried, I even cheered during the games. A must see!

A CLASSIC FOOTBALL MOVIE
this movie is not only very compelling but also has good morals involving racism ,alcohol, and it rele shows how people of different backgrounds can come together when circumstances get rough. this movie is probally for ages 10 -and up because its a lil slow if you are too young to understand the concept of racism and football if you like good drama movies or football movies watch this movie its a legend itself as the titans were in the movie. a small town highschool breaks the color barrior having both whites and blacks on one team some players accept it and others dont and there black coach (denzel washington who plays an excellant part ) gets threats but still coaches his team to victory REMEMBER TO WATCH THIS MOVIE

We need more family movies.
I thought this was a great movie. It was a movie that my kids could watch with me. However, the one thing racism)they are trying to conquer in the movie, still lives on today. I would recommend this movie to anyone. It was a great movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com

With only one major star (Denzel Washington), an appealing cast of fresh unknowns, and a winning emphasis of substance over self-indulgent style, Boaz Yakin's Remember the Titans is, like Rudy before it, a football movie that will be fondly remembered by anyone who sees it.

Set in Alexandria, Virginia, in 1971, the fact-based story begins with the integration of black and white students at T. C. Williams High School. This effort to improve race relations is most keenly felt on the school's football team, the Titans, and bigoted tempers flare when a black head coach (Washington) is appointed and his victorious predecessor (Will Patton) reluctantly stays on as his assistant. It's affirmative action at its most potentially volatile, complicated by the mandate that the coach will be fired if he loses a single game in the Titans' 13-game season. The players represent a hotbed of racial tension, but as the team struggles toward unity and gridiron glory, Remember the Titans builds on several subplots and character dynamics to become an inspirational drama of Rocky-like proportions.

Yakin--whose debut, Fresh, was one of the best independent films of the 1990s--understands the value of connecting small scenes to form a rich climactic payoff. Likewise, Washington provides a solid dramatic foundation (his coach is obsessively harsh, but for all the right reasons) while giving his younger co-stars ample time in the spotlight. The result is a film that achieves what it celebrates: an enriching sense of unity that's unquestionably genuine. (Ages 9 and older) --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (209)

You will remember the titans...
No matter whether you're a fan of sports or not, Remember the Titans is an incredibly inspiring film.
Based on a true story, it is set in 1971 at TC Williams High School, a school that is about to intergrate white and balck students for the first time.
The school's football team meet pre-season, and the separate white and balck groups must learn to get along under the guidance of Coach Herman Boon (Denzel Washington).
What follows is a remarkably touching and powerful story, that mixes tragedy and success.
Great acting by all involved, especially the black members of the cast, who are funny and add something else to an already 5-star film.
For movie fans of all genres, Remember the Titans is a great movie that will inspire you and having you watch it again and again. This is the greatest sports film ever made, and it is sure to have watching intently from beginning to end.

A MOVING STORY OF HEROIC DETERMINATION
Denzel Washington is Coach Boone, a black football coach who finds himself in unfamiliar territory when he is appointed head coach of a high school team in its first year of intergration. When the fomer coach Yoast agrees to be his assistant it seems that turmoil and not determination will rule the squad.

Boone's determination to win is only outmatched by his drive for racial harmony within the team and coaching staff. By forcing his players to interact he creates bonds and friendships. Throughout all of this he knows he must win or his tenure as head coach will be short lived. He must not only battle the racial tension in the team, but in the town as well. Only his sheer will can guide his team to the promised land.

The movie is an outstanding piece of cinema. It adresses a social issue with raw emotional power. It teaches a lesson without screaming it in your face. The acting is without a doubt full of some of the best performances of the year to not have been recognized by Oscar and the likes. While Denzel Washington and Will Patton are phenomenal the show is stolen by the members of the team. Watch this film and you will get the point. An emotional five star film worth watching again and again.

Hands down, one of the greatest movies I ever watched.
Believe it or not, I never even heard of this movie until recently. I'm not a big sports fan, or a sport movie fan so when my boyfriend brough this over to watch, I was less than thrilled.

However, once it started, I was captivated by it.

The movie is made even better based on the fact it is based on a true story. The jist of it is this... Herman Boone, played by Denzel Wahsinton perfectly, takes over as new head coach at a high school that has been desegregated. Naturally, the town has mixed reactions.

We watch as Boone, uses tactics that neither the players, the parents, the townsfolk or even his assistant coaches like to force the players to not only become a team but also respect each other as people. We watch as friendships form, and as a team forms.

Eventually we watch as the winning football team, and essentially Boone brings the town together.

This movie brings something to the table for everyone. I laughed, I cried, I even cheered during the games. A must see!

A CLASSIC FOOTBALL MOVIE
this movie is not only very compelling but also has good morals involving racism ,alcohol, and it rele shows how people of different backgrounds can come together when circumstances get rough. this movie is probally for ages 10 -and up because its a lil slow if you are too young to understand the concept of racism and football if you like good drama movies or football movies watch this movie its a legend itself as the titans were in the movie. a small town highschool breaks the color barrior having both whites and blacks on one team some players accept it and others dont and there black coach (denzel washington who plays an excellant part ) gets threats but still coaches his team to victory REMEMBER TO WATCH THIS MOVIE

We need more family movies.
I thought this was a great movie. It was a movie that my kids could watch with me. However, the one thing racism)they are trying to conquer in the movie, still lives on today. I would recommend this movie to anyone. It was a great movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Based on a true story of the man who locked his boys out of the gym until they focused on their schoolwork, this by-the-numbers crowd-pleaser holds together because a steely Samuel L. Jackson refuses to notice the parade of clichés he's trumpeting (the dialogue sticks to platitudes like, "Success in here is the key to success out there"). Coach Ken Carter (Jackson) takes over an unruly team of Richmond, California basketball players and teaches them how to play--and behave--like champions. His plight, which pits him against an uncooperative school board and parents who've given up hope, holds some interest, but the film is too concerned with giving us a Big Game every twenty minutes or so. The teens all have the spark of life in them (including pop star Ashanti, who features in a surprisingly well-handled teen pregnancy subplot), though the film's plodding familiarity means it's never really rousing, adding up to simply a good-natured amalgam of Stand and Deliver, Hoosiers, Dangerous Minds, and even Dead Poet's Society (one of the tougher players actually recites some inspirational poetry).--Steve Wiecking ... Read more

Amazon.com

Clint Eastwood's 25th film as a director, Million Dollar Baby stands proudly with Unforgiven and Mystic River as the masterwork of a great American filmmaker. In an age of bloated spectacle and computer-generated effects extravaganzas, Eastwood turns an elegant screenplay by Paul Haggis (adapted from the book Rope Burns: Stories From the Corner by F.X. Toole, a pseudonym for veteran boxing manager Jerry Boyd) into a simple, humanitarian example of classical filmmaking, as deeply felt in its heart-wrenching emotions as it is streamlined in its character-driven storytelling. In the course of developing powerful bonds between "white-trash" Missouri waitress and aspiring boxer Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank), her grizzled, reluctant trainer Frankie Dunn (Eastwood), and Frankie's best friend and training-gym partner Eddie "Scrap-Iron" Dupris (Morgan Freeman), 74-year-old Eastwood mines gold from each and every character, resulting in stellar work from his well-chosen cast. Containing deep reserves of love, loss, and the universal desire for something better in hard-scrabble lives, Million Dollar Baby emerged, quietly and gracefully, as one of the most acclaimed films of 2004, released just in time to earn an abundance of year-end accolades, all of them well-deserved. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (186)

Everyone's already taken the compliments this movie can get
I can't believe how much I liked this movie. I'm not really one for Boxing or Dramas (Unless their really good) but I was was pleasantly surprised.

Good performances on all sides (Hilary really deserved that Oscar), and the film also has you caring for the characters...maybe not all of them, but definately Hilary Swank.

- - -SPOILERS AHEAD- - -
I hate using words like "heartbreaking," but that's just what the ending to this story was. It will wreck you for a week. My Dad, who I viewed the movie with, hated the ending. He wanted one of those fairy tale finishes but, in reality, the world doesn't have too many of those. I, on the other hand (While I was fighting like Mike Tyson to hold back tears), admire Clint Eastwood for not being afraid to take a story (no matter how "good" or "inspiring" it is) and do a complete 180 from the cliche ending it seemed it was heading. It takes big grapes to do that.

Boxing Hilary?
This movie uses its extremely strong characters and a decent storyline to create what could literally be called a modern day classic. It shows a softer side to Clint Eastwood that I am not sure we have ever seen before. Hilary Swank is outstanding - I wish I had a better word for her performance - but I am not sure there is one. They key to this film is her ability to pull off the boxing segments in a convincing manner - and she does that in spades. Her right hook appears to be truly devastating. Morgan Freeman also turns in an awesome performance - both he and Swank are worthy of the Oscar. Million Dollar Baby is a film that should not be missed. See it.

A Great Movie With An Unbelievable Scene!!!
This movie stars Clint Eastwood and Hilary Swank who seems to get another Academy Award every time she appears in a movie.This movie seems to be a female version of Rocky at the start but then becomes a touching human drama. The only thing that spoiled this movie for me was the usual sanitized Hollywood Death Scene. The last time I checked if your oxygen supply is cut off then you turn red, then blue then purple.Not so in this movie. I am sure that Doctor Kevorkian would have loved this movie for this reason alone.

Million Dollar Baby
Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman are fantastic and Hillary Swank absolutey stunning and beautiful even while dawning shorts and sweating like the proverbial pig.This is easily the best movie I've seen in years, it is a must see for not only boxing fans, but anyone who enjoys a movie that has it all.Did I mention Hillary Swank:)

Should be about 17 stars
Let's face it Clint Eastwood's head should be up on Mt. Rushmore.While critics are going bananas over garbage like Kill Bill & Shanghai Noon & Pulp Fiction & nonsense like Star Wars..Clint not only consistently delivers the goodsHeck,,even his lesser pictures like Every Which Way But Loose and Space Cowboys are hugely entertaining. this is along with Unforgiven his crowning achievement. In other words it's as good as it gets...& to think it's about a female boxer of all things...just see it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Gina Prince-Bythewood, a former college athlete, puts a spin on this one-on-one tale of Love and Basketball. Sanaa Lathan (The Best Man) is the fiercely driven, hot-tempered Monica, a tomboy who gives her all for basketball. Omar Epps (The Mod Squad) is Quincy, an NBA player's son who has pro dreams of his own. Next-door neighbors since first grade, they start as rivals (she flabbergasts the boy by outplaying him in a game of driveway pickup) and age into best friends and lovers. The romantic complications follow a familiar game plan, but the film throws a fascinating spotlight onto the contrast between men's and women's basketball. While Quincy plays college ball on huge courts to cheering, sold-out crowds, we see Monica's sweat, tears, and sheer physical dedication in front of tiny audiences in small gyms and second-rate auditoriums.

The story is pointedly set in the late 1980s, years before the establishment of the WNBA, so Monica's prospects for pro ball lie exclusively in Europe, while Quincy steps into the pros at home. It's a pleasure to see a character as passionate and fully developed as Monica, and Lathan gives a fiery portrayal (she had never played ball before the film, but you'd never tell from her performance). Prince-Bythewood favors her struggle over Quincy's and opens our eyes to her unique challenges with a sharp, savvy contrast. Alfre Woodard costars as Monica's harping mom (always trying to get her to be more ladylike) and Dennis Haysbert is Quincy's philandering father. Hoops fan Spike Lee produced. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (134)

A Must Buy
Love and Basketball is a wonderful film staring Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan, a real life couple, whose chemistry is evident in the movie. The plot follows two standout basketball players throughout their lives, starting at age eleven. The plot, characters, and all other elements are truly great. The film itself is completely worth watching, but the special features on the DVD make it a must to have in your film collection. I particularly enjoyed the Commentary version of the movie where Sanaa Lathan (Monica) and Gina Price-Blythwood (writer/director) offer an inside look at the making of the film. Other great features include the Lucy Pearl music video for "Dance Tonight" and several deleted scenes, which give you the option to watch as the scenes as were meant for the movie and the option to watch with commentary from Price-Blythwood, explaining where the scene would have come in, why it was deleted, etc. The DVD also contains bloopers, a documentary, and Epps & Lathan's audition tapes, which the option of seeing the auditions and the actual scenes. It was great to see how some parts changed (for example, in the audition they addressed how Quincy [Epps] knocked out Monica's tooth when they were eleven, but in the actual film the scene was changed so that Monica got a scar from the incident; the reason behind that is addressed in the commentary version of the film) I would recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys love stories (Price-Blythwood said that the film is a love story and basketball is a backdrop) or anyone who enjoys basketball because this movie has tons of action. Also, in the commentary edition, the women talked about how certain things in the movie got attention because they were "black" but I want to note that I am a white, teenage female, probably one of the last people this movie was supposed to be marketed to. I think anyone can enjoy this movie because the acting is dynamic and the special features are plentiful!

Refresing and Nostalgic Charmer -- Buy It!
Love and Basketball is loaded with cliches. The writing is solid, but not special. The film feels a bit long and tedious.

Yet, we absolutely love this film!

We have viewed this film at least five times. Following each viewing, we have become more engrossed with the story of Quincy and Monica.

Superior acting joins this life-then-sports story to engross and mesmerize the audience. The actors and director inject Halle Berry-body into a Calista Flockhart-script. Lesser actors would have failed first-time diretor Gina Prince.

Lathan and Epps give superior performances -- subtle and highly effective. They believably portray high school teens and world-hardened adults. Lathan is budding into a superstar. Epps acts better than most superstars.

Love and Basketball offers fresh perspective on young love between two people who happen to be African-Americans. Do not let the title fool you -- this story focuses on love first, and how love finds a home between these two basketball players. The basketball theme highlights the mental and physical preparation necessary to win, not live competition.

Also refreshing: this is a sports story told from the point-of-view of Lathan's character. She is driven, yet sensitive. You will root for this character who is, "still a cocky (...)."

Furthermore, this film is not an "urban" drama. Actors of any race could have played the major roles.

The soundtrack provides historical and romantic perspective. This film will make you remember the wonderful joys of young love and the accompanying inexperience.

Don't waste anymore time reading reviews -- buy this video!

Love and Basketball
This is the best movie I have seen in a long time. I first saw the movie on TV; it was obvious that some scenes were deleted. I bougth the DVD and I have watched it everyday (sometimes more than once a day). This is a classic love story. I loved the way Ms. Prince-Bythewood portrayed the characters (Monica & Quincy)during the stages of their lives - youth, teenages to young adults. The transformation was very realistic and you saw the devlopment & maturity at each stage. Sanaa & Omar did an outstanding job depicting the writer\director's vision. At the conclusion of each viewing, I am sad because I want to see more. I wish it had been a 3hr movie or the DVD included all deleted scenes. I can't get enough of this movie. It is GREAT!

I love - Love and Basketball
This movie is great. I love the storyline. It is very real and not far fetched from reality. It is wonderful to see this type of love story, where there is no a great deal of sexual contact throughout the entire movie. It had a story which I appreciated. This movie is one of my favorites and one of the best. I am happy it did well for the director. Hopefully she will make more quality films of this nature, that I will own.

Great Movie
A must see. I really enjoyed this film. I think Sanaa Latham & Omar Epps are two actors who I hope will be around for years to come. This is a double love story. The love of the game of Basketball and just simply (being in love). They both gave stunning performances. Sanaa is not just another pretty face in Hollywood. She is a terrific actress. I personally know Omar Epps Mother (She is the Principal at a Elementary School in New York). She said, her Son could act& I must agree with her. Excellent Movie I could watch over and over again. I makes you feel all fuzzy inside. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This rousing basketball drama centers around Tommy "Shep" Sheppard (Leon),a former high school basketball star now haunted by the accidental deathof his best friend, and Kyle Watson (Duane Martin), an arrogant highschool player in danger of slipping into crime. Though Shep avoidscommitment in his life as a security guard, his attraction to Kyle'smother (Tonya Pinkins) draws him out of his protective shell--but Kyle ismore interested in mentorship from Shep's gangster brother Birdie (TupacShakur). Above the Rim is melodramatic but played with grit andenergy by a solid cast, particularly Shakur. Writer-director Jeff Pollackkeeps the story moving and gives the characters enough spin to rescue themfrom being clichés; the result is engaging despite its formulas. Alsofeaturing Bernie Mac and Marlon Wayans. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (47)

Tupac: The Greatest Hood Villain
"Above The Rim" is about a young high school basketball player(Martin) who is drawn into friendship with Birdie(Shakur) in order to play in a streetball tournament on his team. Then he meets Shep(Leon) who works at the high school and is secretly Birdie's brother. Shep starts dating the basketball player's mom and that's when everything goes down. People are killed, beat up, and humiliated.

This movie is really good but the main reason for that is Tupac Shakur. He's one of the best actors to ever play a gangster. Bernie Mac also has a small role as a homeless guy who thinks he can beat anyone in basketball. Marlon Wayans also co-stars as one of Bernie's cronies who is always humiliated.

Anyways the story is amazing and so is the movie. There's cool basketball stunts and a sudden and dramatic movie.

Above the Rim (1994)
Above the Rim is probably the best basketball movie there is. This movie aint like Hoosiers. It has tons of street ball and action. My man 2pac stars in this movie as Birdie, a drug dealer who tries to get a talented high school player named Kyle(Duane Martin) involved in his business and play for their team in a tournament. Kyle has to decide what is best for his future but Birdie and his gang pressure him to join. The basketball scenes are crazy and the music is one the parts that stands out. The theme song played throughout the movie ("Pain" by 2pac) is still one of my favorite songs even though it is almost ten years old. This movie on DVD has the trailer and you can watch it in widescreen. Overall, its better than the VHS. If you havent seen this movie yet then buy it QUICK. R.I.P. 2pac

Pretty Good...
This was a fairly good movie...reasonably realistic and generally entertaining. I'm a big basketball fan, so it was easy for me to enjoy.

highly enjoyable and reasonably realistic
any film maker thinking of doing a hood movie should watch this first,as this is really the way it should be done.im my opinion this is better than boyz in the hood,but then again what do i know eh.it centres around a young man who is good at the game where you throw a ball through a hoop loads of times.so anyway,cue lots of dilemas about which team do i play for,masquerading as thinly vieled mataphors for paths in life.oh yeah,bernie mac plays a tramp....talk about typecasting!!! unbelievably enough, 2pacs in this and its still good!!!! cos 2pacs rubbish,isnt he??or more to the point he was WASNT he...DONT SPEAK ILL OF THE DEAD,you grumble.well if you're a 2pac fan you'd think he wasnt dead,wouldnt you?? and that the reason all the rubbish albums with his name on them keep getting released ARENT because....................... anyway im side tracking,this film is well enough written,has a nice enough ending and manages a few twists and turns along the way.i wouldve given it 3 stars,but since the directors etc made something with 2pac in it that was ok it gets and extra star.so 4 outta 5.

ABOVE THE RIM Review
Playing like a big-screen version of MTV's "Rock N' Jock Basketball", ABOVE THE RIM is more flare than substance but that isn't neccessarily a bad thing. Not every urban film needs to provide the harsh narrative morals of films like "Boyz N The Hood". Those expecting a pull-no-punches commentary on young inner-city athletes may want to stick with "He Got Game". "Rim" has heart though. It's predictable and cliche at times but it's still a lot of fun. Having one of the very best soundtracks of the year didn't hurt things either.

"Rim" follows Kyle Waston, one of the hottest high school basketball prospects as he must choose between playing for his overbearing coach or a charismatic local drug dealer in a tournament for city bragging rights. Along the way we learn that the devilish drug pusher is the younger brother of the school's security guard, a former high school star himself who fell from grace after a fatal accident involving one of his friends. Kyle is so manipulated by the money and women being thrown in his direction that he doesn't see that he may be flushing his opportunity down the toilet.

"Above The Rim", much like "Juice" gains so much credibilty from the presence of Tupac Shakur. Pac takes what is in all honesty, a silly and very sterotypical villian and makes him seem so much more. Very few people have the energy and charisma to make it work but he does. The cast certainly holds up their end though as well. Unlike "Juice", the movie can survive without Pac on the screen. Wayans as the goofy Buggalo is a nice touch and Martin and Leon are solid leads.

ABTR is an entertaining film but it plays more like a "very special episode" of FRESH PRINCE than the urban equivallent of HOOSIERS that so many of its fans tend to label it as. The story is very paint-by-numbers and most of the dramatic elements are thrown in for advancement of the story rather than based on a concious decision to show the true consequences of its protaginist's choices. The script is simple and seems to pander to the audience far too much. Much like a TV show, there is conflict but by the end of it all, every character learns a valuable lesson. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Pride of the Yankees: Lou Gehrig as True Hero
There are movies that involve the audience about the life of its star and there are others that use gimmicks to hide the fact that the audience never gets to look at the star from the inside. In PRIDE OF THE YANKEES director Sam Wood gave us a movie that has already stood the test of time as one of the best movies to come out of Hollywood. The high quality of this film is mostly because of Gary Cooper's startlingly realistic portrayal of a baseball icon whose playing career overlapped the cinematic career of the film icon who played him. The audience sees the man in a way that the fans in the stands could not. Cooper carries the movie in the same way that he carries SERGEANT YORK, by his straightforward radiating of emotion that is often at odds with the face that says one thing but the eyes that say another.
The young Lou Gehrig starts off as a youth loving baseball so much that he has to hide his love from a mother who wants Lou to surpass Uncle Otto as a symbol of success. Lou hears his mother praise Uncle Otto and assures her that he will follow in his footsteps, but his eyes tell another story. In fact, throughout this movie, it is his eyes that speak more eloquently than anything else he can say or do. Lou winds up in Columbia on a scholarship, and during a frat party hazing designed to test his ability to endure a razzing, Lou retreats within himself until he can retreat no more. For the first time in this film, and very nearly for his entire movie career as well, Cooper shows the anger that we all knew lay buried deep. Cooper made a career out of rechanneling emotion into productive ends, and as Lou Gehrig, he can redirect his inner chi into belting baseballs over walls well enough to earn a tryout with the New York Yankees. By this time, the audience is hooked by their caring for a man who combines the best of the American ideals of hard work and talent with the self-effacing that marks most film icons of that time.
Theresa Wright plays first his girlfriend, then later his wife. She is simply wonderful as the cultured girl who falls for the small town hero. They poke fun of each other but the audience knows that what they are really saying is the Real Thing. Theresa Wright knows exactly when to back off and let Cooper be at center stage and when to interact with him to produce some truly stirring moments. There are two scenes that stand out as unforgettable, one with Wright, the other without. The first occurs when Lou has been playing poorly. He has been striking out, dropping easy catches, and running awkwardly. His teammates are puzzled and mix anger with concern. After a loss caused by his poor play, Lou sits on a bench, trying to make sense of a body that had never before betrayed him. As he leans forward to untie his laces, he continues to fall, rolling over onto the floor. His mates pretend not to notice. Lou says nothing but his face tells the audience all that they need to know. The fear that often bubbles just beneath the skin in many of Cooper's movies surfaces, and that fear clicks in the hearts of all. Later, when he has seen a doctor and knows that his illness, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, is terminal, he decides to hide this knowledge from his wife who nevertheless has already guessed the truth, but tries to hide that from him. There is a heartbreaking scene in which she tries to raise his spirits by donning a barker's hat and mustache. As she stares at him, she laughs. As she hugs him, her eyes reveal her own torment. Each actor is absolutely convincing in their respective attempts to hide what they know, while pretending all is well.
PRIDE OF THE YANKEES tells a story well-known to anyone who reads the sports pages. It features Cooper in center stage, with a supporting cast including Walter Brennan and Dan Duryea, both of whom interact credibly with him and Ms. Wright. This is more than a baseball bio of a man who hits it big in his game. It is more the story of a giant who continued to hit it big even after the fans have left the stadium.

Nostalgic Eye for the Baseball Guy
I hate people that can't seem to enjoy an old fashioned good feeling movie and call it sacharine because it has a happy ending. Which is why I am a little embarassed to give Pride of the Yankees just three stars. But the truth is that I really had to fight hard to surpress a smile at the level of schmaltz in this film that I didn't recognize when I saw this as a boy.

Gary Cooper plays Lou Gehrig with a childlike naivete which I know was charming in its day but today it feels like you would have to lock someone up who was his age and still that childlike. And I really did want to play along with the most classic scene in the film but found it funnier than any campy parody I have seen over the years. The little boy in the hospital who is sitting by the radio because the Babe and Lou promised him they would each hit home runs form him. "Little Billy" sits in pajamas in the hospital by the radio. He listens earnestly with a expectant vapid open mouth expression waiting. Its as if his ability to ever walk again hung on the success of that hit. Bottom of the sixth Gehrig disappoints by striking out for his second time in a row still one short of the two promised home runs, you can tell the kid is thinking "Damn" but instead says "Golly"! I am glad I wasn't drinking anything at the time because it would shot through my nose trying to hold back the laugh. Pride of the Yankess does hearken back to simpler times but is perhaps so gentle and guileless it crosses the line into accidental comedy.

However I did very much enjoy the relationship between the two competing sportswriters who mock each others favorite players much like Statler and Waldorf the two old geezers in The Muppet Show. Walter Brennan plays writer Sam Blake who roots for Lou and does a wonderful job. He is so slender of build here he is almost unrecognizable in this role.

I am sure most people will have a fine time enjoying this film and Lou Gehrigs touching farewell speech.

From NY Immigrants' Child to American Legend
This was probably my introduction, and for millions of others, to the legend that is Lou Gehrig. And for so many years, I had Gehrig and Gary Cooper completely confused in my mind--they seemed inseparable. But there's good reason for it: the role of the Iron Horse seemed to be made for Cooper. Gehrig was a low-key, almost self-effacing athlete and person, which was just the type of character that Cooper built his career on. Their sizes were just about the same. Cooper nailed down Lou Gehrig's voice, especially for the famous "luckiest man" farewell speech. Hell, Gary Cooper LOOKS like Lou Gehrig! Maybe my confusion is justified, at least on this subject.

PRIDE OF THE YANKEES is the grand-daddy of all baseball movies. Cooper's performance, as I can't help but keep mentioning, is stellar. Teresa Wright as his wife helps keep the hankies moist but she is also very spunky and strong. Walter Brennan (who also played opposite Cooper in MEET JOHN DOE where John Doe is a semi-pro pitcher) is in a supporting role here but provides desperately needed comic relief.

And perhaps I'm wrong to categorize PRIDE OF THE YANKESS as merely a baseball film. It is about human potential, human frailty, and above all human strength during times of crisis. Lou Gehrig's tragedy occurred during a time of extreme crisis in America, and, I believe, his strong steady public appearances helped the nation through it. PRIDE OF THE YANKEES could easily have been named "Strength of America" in my mind. It's that important a film.

The story of Lou Gehrig and the classiest sports biopic
There are all sorts of little imperfections in the 1943 film "The Pride of the Yankees." The screenwriters rearranged Lou Gehrig's famous farewell speech at Yankee Stadium so that the best line, "Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth," becomes his exit line (it was the second line in his speech with his actual last line being, "So I close in saying that I may have had a tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for"). Gary Cooper had enough problems batting right-handed let alone left-handed like Gehrig, so the actor wore a uniform with "KROY WEN" on the front, ran to third base when he managed to hit the ball, and then they reversed the print. Gehrig is shown wearing his famous number 4 when the Yankees play the World Series, but that happened in 1926 and 1928 while the Bronx Bombers did not start wearing uniform numbers until 1929 (Gehrig batted cleanup and was 4, Babe Ruth batted in front of him and was therefore 3). The film talks about how Gehrig won the Triple Crown on the day he was married but Gehrig won the Triple Crown in the 1934 season, the year after Lou and Eleanor were married in 1933.

But none of that really matters because "The Pride of the Yankees" remains the standard by which all sports biopics, whether of baseball players or anyone else, are judged. Even those who were not weaned and raised on baseball know that the title character is going to die of Lou Gehrig's disease and the film takes full advantage of that foreshadowing: when Gehrig gets into his first game and refuses to come out after being hit in the head by a thrown ball, manager Miller Huggins asks, "What do we have to do to get you out of the game? Kill you?" Irving Berlin's song "Always" becomes a recurring musical theme throughout the film, another reminder of Gehrig's mortality.

In many ways "The Pride of the Yankees" is more of a love story than a baseball theme. It starts off as a rags-to-riches story, where Gehrig's mother (Elsa Janssen) insists her son will be an engineer and does want him wasting time playing baseball. Eventually the fame and money opens her eyes, but then Lou meets Eleanor Twitchell (Teresa Wright) and has a new "best girl." One of the most impressive aspects of this film is how it touches on the two darker sides of the Lou Gehrig story, the friction between his overbearing mother and his society wife along with the strained relationship that developed between Gehrig and Babe Ruth. The film really only touches on these aspects and Ruth, playing himself, is usually a smiling figure when he shows up on screen, except for when Gehrig is eating his new hat and he is listening to Gehrig's farewell speech.

Cooper was nominated for an Oscar for his performance and even though he is rather awkward and a bit old for the role, he captures the essential dignity and class of Gehrig. It makes sense that one American icon is being played by another. Having been nominated of a Best Actress in a Supporting Role Oscar for "The Little Foxes" in 1941 she received another nomination in that category in 1942 for "Mrs. Miniver" and also one for Best Actress that same year for "The Pride of the Yankees." Wright won for "Mrs. Miniver" and lost out to Greer Garson for Best Actress (because of the war the Oscars were made of plaster for the first time, but were replaced by "real" Oscars when the war ended). "The Pride of the Yankees" was nominated for 11 Oscars, including Best Picture, but only won for Daniel Mandell's Film Editing.

Walter Brennan as sportswriter Sam Blake and Ludwig Stössel as Pop Gehrig provide a lot of the comic relief in the film. Brennan's role is rather low-keyed for him while Stössel has several fine moments where he tries, usually without success, to stand up to his wife. Appearing as themselves are Yankee players Bill Dickey, Bob Meusel, and Mark Koenig, and the familiar voice of Bill Stern makes it on screen as well.

Gehrig's tragic death at the age of 38 makes all of his records even more astounding given that his career was cut short. Sportswriter Jim Murray once described the tall, strong Gehrig as a "Gibraltar in cleats," and "The Pride of the Yankees" provides a sense of that. For me the most poignant scene comes before Gehrig enters Yankee Stadium on July 4, 1939, when he encounter 17-year-old Billy (David Holt), the lame boy in the hospital (Gene Collins) for whom Gehrig hit two home runs in a World Series game in the film's most extended baseball sequence. The irony that Gehrig could inspire Billy to rise up and walk but Fate had conspired to strike down the Iron Horse who played in 2,130 is enough to reduce most of us to tears before Gehrig ever steps to the plate for the last time to talk about how lucky he is.

Courage and Heroism in Perfect Form
"The Pride of the Yankees" is without a doubt one of the best baseball films of all time. Why? Because it isn't just about baseball. It's about a real person seeking that seemingly impossible American dream and capturing it, only to lose it all too soon. Cooper plays Gehrig with so much heart in this film, that the movie almost seems unreal due to the fact that Gehrig was such a good person, both as a human and as a star athlete.

There are few professional athletes in the world who show so much character and so much love to others as Gehrig did. He faced death with honor and courage. He was and is a true hero. If you're looking for an athlete for your children to look up to, pick the "Iron Man of Baseball."

This film does exceptionally well in capturing the heart and soul of Gehrig. It is a great family film and I highly recommend it. Gehrig might have been in Ruth's(and later, DiMaggio's)shadow, but he was so much bigger than these guys. He was honest, hard-working, and approached people long after the cameras were gone.

Add this one to your collection. It's a keeper, even if you don't know the difference between a baseball and a ball of yarn. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Walter Hill's colorful directorial debut has quite a cultfollowing for its toughness and violence; it may well be his best film, in fact. Charles Bronson plays a silent street fighter in New Orleans in the '30smanaged by the cool James Coburn. Jill Ireland, Strother Martin, and MichaelMcGuire costar in this spare existential Depression dirge. It owes a lot to its noir origins that Hill adores so much, yet there's somethingvery fresh and vital about its subject and approach. That's really what made so manyof these films from the '70s so endearing. An added bonus is the love and affection displayed by the real-life husband and wife team of Bronsonand Ireland. --Bill Desowitz ... Read more

Reviews (30)

One of Bronson's best
Hard Times (known as 'The Streetfighter' here in Australia) is Bronson's best movie alongside Death Wish. The film is set in the 1930's during the depression, and its recreation of this period is outstanding. This is not a movie for hard-core action/fighting fans. Like 'The Karate Kid' and 'Rocky', Hard Times has a real story and interesting characters. Bronson's character, Chaney, is humble, quiet, a bit of a loner - this contrasts nicely with James Coburn's portrayal of Speed, a compulsive gambler who sets up fights for Bronson. Strother Martin and Jill Ireland (Bronson's real-life wife until her death some years ago) are also great in their supporting roles. Nice to see an old forgotten classic like Hard Times released on DVD.

Best Bronson in Hard Times
"Hard Times" stars Charles Bronson as Chaney a down and out bare knuckle boxer trying to get by in the middle of the depression. James Coburn as Speed is the quick talking not entirely trustworthy promoter who represents Chaney in fights through out the South and Midwest. "Hard Times" is the directorial debut of Walter Hill who shows off a certain realism that would become his trademark in future works. Still, it is Bronson who is the center of this film. Perfectly cast as the aged fighter this is perhaps Bronson at his absolute best. Bronson displays a subtle complexity that is particularly effective in the love affair with Lucy played by real life wife Jill Ireland. Bronson, who was about 54 at the time of filming, is remarkably fit and completely believable even when the odds are stacked against him. The story is taught and directed in a crisp fashion by Hill. The cast is good as an ensemble lifting this underrated feature to the level of very good. Yet, it is Bronson and that one of a kind face that makes "Hard Times" a true classic of the genre.

Classic Bare Knuckle Action in the Big Easy
This movie is a classic tribute to the subject of "prize fighting". Released in 1975 and directed by Walter Hill, it centers around a 1930's depression drifter named Chaney (Bronson). Chaney is the consummate drifter ---- indifferent and reluctant to commit. However, he ends up in New Orleans and stumbles upon the local subculture of bare knuckle fighting. He then convinces a local hustler by the name of Speed Weed (Coburn) to let him be his next "hitter". Chaney's silent, strong presence brilliantly complements Speed's enormously extroverted style ---- Chaney is the soft-spoken, rugged fighter and Speed is the colorful, manager promoter. However, Chaney's reluctance to commit proves to be a reoccurring test for Speed Weed. Even with his girlfriend Lucy, played by Bronson's wife Jill Ireland, Chaney is emotionally detached and shows an easy comes, easy goes attitude.

Chaney wins a few tough illegal fights bare-fisted but Speed falls victim to his own careless wheeling and dealing and is unable to pay his debt to a gang of thugs. As a result, Chaney is forced to fight one last fight with Street ---- a big bear of a man played by Nick Dimitri. This is a climatic event in the movie with both fighters waging one of the most gripping fight scenes this side of Hong Kong. Even better ---- the fight scenes are choreographed the old-fashioned way without relying on special effects

Strother Martin provides a great supporting role as the languid and shady character known as Poe ---- he provides medical advice despite an opium addiction and his failure to finish medical school. Martin also played the prison warden in the movie, "Cool Hand Luke".

Also notable is veteran tough-man actor, Robert Tessier, who plays John Henry ---- the bald grinning tattooed anathema managed and promoted by Speed's rival, Chic Gandil ---- convincingly played by Michael McGuire.

Bronson's physique and muscular definition rivals that of any actor that I've seen portraying similar roles in movies --- even Stallone when he played Rocky. And Bronson was in his 50s'---- incredible!

Also, impressive is the cinematography ---- scenes of New Orleans boat docks, warehouse district, cemetery and French Quarter set the mood for New Orleans during the 1930's depression. Walter Hill, as always, does a good job providing visual and aural (music) elements to the movie that emphasize the culture that surrounds the characters and events.

The fights don't take place in the traditional sense --- gloved combat performed legally within the ring. Fights are illegal bare-fisted slugfests arranged on boat docks and in warehouses among crowds of gambling onlookers. You'll see plenty of the old-fashioned fist fighting techniques reminiscent of old Saturday afternoon action movies. Notice Bronson tends to fight with his arms close to his waist as if he was preparing to do a series of bicep curls ---- classic all the way.

I consider Hard Times to be a true classic. It is certainly one of the greatest films of its genre.

Hard Hitting Action !!!
A real gem ! Contrary to another review (14JAN04)- 'Hard Times' stands-out as Bronson's finest action film. A former boxer (amateur)himself; Bronson is in top form (and top shape at 52 years old !). Patrick Swayze's attempt ('Roadhouse'), to emulate Bronson never worked - simply because Mr. Bronson was an original. See this film !!!

Excellent Bronson DVD
This film is, in my opinion, one of the best Bronson films along with Honor Among Thieves, Rider on the Rain, Red Sun, and From Noon Till Three. This role is tailor made for Bronson's tough, silent persona(like Chato's Land). This film was released in 1975 but was filmed in 1974-most films, after they finish filming, go into post production, editing and then are released up to a year after they actually finish shooting the final scene. Bronson was 52 yrs old(not 54) when he appeared in Hard Times. Bronson was born in Nov. 1921 and Hard Times was shot prior to his 53rd birthday in 1974.
If you watch the scene in the meat packing plant in Clint Eastwood's film Every Which Way But Loose, it seems like a direct rip-off of the Hard Times scene in Pettibon's joint--the manager of the defeated fighter won't pay up until a gun is produced. Also, in Eastwood's sequel Any Which Way You Can, Wilson, after scouting out Philo Beddoe's fighting ability, remarks "It's been a pleasure watching you work". This, to me, is a direct rip-off of Gandil's line to Chaney after the final fight in Hard Times. Interesting to note that Hard Times was released 3 yrs before Every Which Way... and 5 yrs before Any Which Way...

I happen to be a Bronson "fan" and own most of his starring role films as well as many of his supporting role films, but even if you are not all that interested in Bronson's work, you will still probably find this an excellent film in it's own right. The DVD is, in my opinion, crystal clear both in picture and sound, and gives you the added bonus of viewing in full or widescreen formats(the widescreen is 2.35:1 and is authentic widescreen). Towards the beginning of the film, there is a scene between Bronson and Coburn which takes place in an oyster bar. At one point, when Bronson is speaking, he is cut off from the scene in the fullscreen version but is completely visible in the widescreen version. Anyway, the DVD is well worth purchasing and I trust you will enjoy the film. All the best! ... Read more

Description

Nothing was going to stop Roy Hobbs from fulfilling his boyhood dream of baseball superstardom.Robert Redford stars in this inspiring fable that begins when 14-year-old Hobbs (Redford) fashions a powerful bat from a fallen oak tree.He soon impresses major league scouts with his ability, fixing his extraordinary talent in the mind of sportswriter Max Mercy (Duvall), who eventually becomes instrumental in Hobbs' career. But a meeting with a mysterious woman shatters his dream. Years pass and an older Hobbs reappears as a rookie for the New York Knights. Overcoming physical pain and defying those who have a stake in seeing the Knights lose, Hobbs, with his boyhood bat, has his chance to lead the Knights to the pennant and to finally fulfill his dream. ... Read more

Reviews (97)

Coulda Been Great
THE NATURAL has some truly great elements, especially the much copied score, good cinematography, and some moments that almost capture the mythical quality of baseball. Unfortunately, it falls short of the greatness it should have achieved. Nevertheless, THE NATURAL is arguably one of the better films about baseball (along with "Pride of the Yankees"), and it's worth a look.

Robert Redford plays Roy Hobbs, a man who truly loves baseball. All his life, he's been poised for greatness, but life has thrown him for some loops. He returns to the game in his late 30s and gets a final shot. Redford is pretty good in the role, although he's really too old for the part. Barry Levinson directs, and his direction is unusally ham-fisted...he and the actors telegraph every plot twist. Glenn Close was nominated for an Oscar, but she really isn't that good as Hobb's long-time love interest. Ultimately, the movie is too melodramatic and unfocused with cardboard characters, especially the villianous judge.

Extras: The only real DVD extra is a documentary on the movie featuring Cal Ripken Jr. It's pretty good, more affecting than the movie!

A Classic Baseball Fairy Tale!!
This fictional 1920s fairy-tale-style film is about a guy named Roy Hobbs (played by Redford) who is a great baseball hitter... thanks to the bat which he made as a kid from a tree that was hit by lightning. Hobbs' career gets sidelined for about 15 years due to an "encounter" with a mysterious woman. The tragic results cause a dark spot in Hobbs' past. Now older, and considered over-the-hill by the baseball community, the sports press, and his soon-to-be manager (wonderfully played by Wilford Brimley), Hobbs unpacks his "Wonderboy" bat and proceeds to decimate ballfields at seemingly every at-bat! Filmed in a retro 1920s style, this is one of the best baseball films ever made. It's not a true story obviously, but you won't care. Was it his "Wonderboy" bat that made Hobbs a star?? Great music by Randy Newman too (high praise coming from me, since I can't stand Randy Newman). If you are undecided on purchasing this one, definitely rent it and check it out... you'll be coming back to watch this one again and again! A great film to curl up and watch with the kids too. END

The Greatest Baseball Film Ever
THE NATURAL, based on the book of the same name by Bernard Malamud, is probably the greatest baseball film ever produced. Why? Because it contains no magical realism, no "tricks," no "gimmicks." It's just a film about second chances and redemption, in this case, redemption through the game of baseball. THE NATURAL is not nearly as dark as the book on which it is based and it's not totally factual in its portrayal of baseball, but who cares? This film gives us something better than facts. It gives us the poetry and lyricism of the game, the magic that made baseball "America's Pastime."

THE NATURAL is the story of Roy Hobbs (Robert Redford), a Midwestern boy who dreams of being "the best" in the world of baseball. Roy's dreams aren't just "pie in the sky." This kid has talent, talent like no one's ever seen before. But, as he's making the trip to Chicago to try out, he encounters Harriet Bird (Barbara Hershey), an enigmatic and dangerous woman, and Roy's life changes forever. Sixteen years later, though, Roy Hobbs is given what most people can only long for, a second chance. Yes, this second chance requires a stretch of the viewer's imagination, but not so much that it becomes an impossibility.

I know many people didn't care for Robert Redford's portrayal of Roy Hobbs, but I thought he was perfect. He really makes us believe in Roy and in his dreams and in his principles. I can't think of any other actor who could have carried off this role and carried it off so perfectly. Wilfred Brimley is perfect as Pop Fisher, Hobbs' manager. Robert Duvall as Max Mercy is also perfectly cast as is a very young Kim Basinger as Memo Paris, the woman who wants to be Hobbs' nemesis "the second time around." I didn't particularly like Glenn Close as Iris, but that's just personal preference. Close did a very good job with her role but not quite as good as did Basinger and Basinger's was far more demanding.

There are few mistakes in the continuity of this film. At one point, while playing for the mythical New York Knights at Wrigley Field, Hobbs' hits homeruns in the bottom of the ninth. What? He wasn't traded to the Cubs, so this has to be an oversight on the part of the production crew since the Knights, as visitors to Wrigley Field, would bat in the top of the inning. There are a few other such oversights, but I don't feel they're worth mentioning.

THE NATURAL works, and works so well, I think, because it relies so heavily on mythology, most notably the myth of the Fisher King. It romanticizes the game of baseball. Sure, it's been romanticized before, quite possibly more than any other sport, but THE NATURAL does it so well that we do believe and we do root for Roy Hobbs and all he stands for. Make us believe? This film makes us believe like no other.

Levinson has changed Malamud's ending considerably, but I feel that's for the best. Had there been no departures from the book, Hobbs wouldn't have been a sympathetic character and the film would have been too dark and contained too much despair. As it is, we're left with the promise of better things to come and hope for the future, just what baseball gave us in the "good old days."

THE NATURAL may be dismissed as "hokum" by some but I think it's an American masterpiece and pure magic.

Redford to the rescue

Director: Barry Levinson
Format: Color
Studio: Columbia/Tristar Studios
Video Release Date: September 26, 2000

Cast:

Robert Redford ... Roy Hobbs
Robert Duvall ... Max Mercy
Glenn Close ... Iris Gaines
Kim Basinger ... Memo Paris
Wilford Brimley ... Pop Fisher
Barbara Hershey ... Harriet Bird
Robert Prosky ... The Judge
Richard Farnsworth ... Red Blow
Joe Don Baker ... The Whammer
John Finnegan ... Sam Simpson
Alan Fudge ... Ed Hobbs
Paul Sullivan Jr. ... Young Roy
Rachel Hall ... Young Iris
Robert Rich III ... Ted Hobbs
Michael Madsen ... Bartholomew 'Bump' Bailey
Jon Van Ness ... John Olsen
Mickey Treanor ... Doc Dizzy
George Wilkosz ... Bobby Savoy
Anthony J. Ferrara ... Coach Wilson
Philip Mankowski ... Hank Benz
Danny Aiello III ... Emil LaJong
Joe Castellano ... Allie Stubbs
Eddie Cipot ... Gabby Laslow
Ken Grassano ... Al Fowler
Robert Kalaf ... Cal Baker
Barry Kivel ... Pat McGee
Steven Kronovet ... Tommy Hinkle
James Meyer ... Dutch Schultz
Mike Starr ... Boone
Sam Green ... Murphy
Martin Grey ... Additional Knight
Joseph Mosso ... Additional Knight
Richard Oliveri ... Additional Knight
Lawrence Couzens ... Additional Knight
Duke McGuire ... Additional Knight
Stephen Poliachik ... Additional Knight
Kevin Lester ... Additional Knight
Joseph Charboneau ... Additional Knight
Robert Rudnick ... Additional Knight
Ken Kamholz ... Additional Knight
Sibby Sisti ... Pirates Manager
Phillip D. Rosenberg ... Pitcher Youngberry
Christopher B. Rehbaum ... Pitcher John Rhoades
Nicholas Koleff ... Umpire Augie
Jerry Stockman ... Umpire Babe
James Quamo ... Memorial Game Umpire
Joe Strnad ... Final Game Home Plate Umpire
James Mohr ... Al
Ralph Tabakin ... Al's Customer
Dennis Gould ... Carnival Boy
Joshua Abbey ... Home Plate Photographer
Gayle Vance ... Maid at Party
George Scheitinger ... League Official
Peter Poth ... Dr. Knobb
Bernie McInerney ... Hospital Doctor
Elizabeth Ann Klein ... Stern Nurse
Charles Sergis ... Newsreel Narrator
Edward Walsh ... Newsreel Presenter
Darren McGavin ... Gus Sands
Brian Reingold ... Baseball Fan

This film made quite a stir when it was released. One of Redford's better ones.

Roy Hobbs (Redford) loves baseball. He played in high school and the semi-pros, and was picked up and given a contract by a scout for the fictional big league team, the New York Knights. Of course, he is the best! A natural.

He has a problem with his past, which he is close mouthed about, but a corrupt club owner, the Judge (Robert Prosky), tries first to pay him to lose in the playoffs, and then tries to blackmail him, and to subject him to the wiles of a femme fatale. And, of course trouble comes in threes...it is also discovered that he had a bullet in his gut that could be fatal if he keeps playing ball. So, guess what? He keeps playing ball.

This is a good, entertaining story. Redford has a huge following, and for good reason. Normally, I'm not enamored of baseball films, but this is a good one. I recommend it to you.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre Great Movie
The Natural is the best baseball movie ever made. Great for everyone in the family. ... Read more

Reviews (102)

Great movie about a person that will be remembered in rodeo.
Lane Frost, was a bullrider that loved what he did day in and day out and that was RODEO. He had to overcome many different problems throughout his short career. In this movie it isn't all about one man who rode bulls for a living. 8 Seconds shows how much rodeo is to all of the Cowboys in rodeo. This movie showed me that Lane Frost was a man that had his ups and his downs throughout his short career as a pro bull rider. It showed me that rodeo is a way of life that is so unpredictable that you never know when your last ride is going to be and it showed me that there is more to rodeo than just getting on a horse, bull, or bronc. Rodeo is a way of life and it can bring people together and build those close relationships that you never want to lose and it can also take away the ones you love. I would have to say this is one of my most favorite movie because it showed me that you need to hang on to the things that last and never ever give up no matter what the coarse looks like ahead of you.

Best Rodeo Movie
Probably one of the best rodeo movies ever made, period. I noticed on one of the earlier reviews that they thought Luke Perry rode some of the bulls in this movie, thats bull in itself. All stunts were done by professionals, Tuff Hedeman, Terry Don West, Cody Lambert to name a few, give credit where credit is due. Luke does a nice job in his portrayal of Lane Frost, but I feel that Stephen Baldwin does just as good a job as Tuff Hedeman and is somewhat overlooked in conversation regarding this movie. Bill Conti's music is just a nice added perk. This is a great rodeo movie, shows the life the way it is, the true story of Lane frost, one of the greatest bull riders cut short in his prime. Life on the road, tough loving dad, falling in love, adultry, comradare, and the movie that most people became familiar with "Cowboy Up!" If this movie does not move you then you just aren't human....or country!

A Legend
I would have to say that 8 seconds is one if my favorite movies. I watch it over and over and cry every time, it never fails. Lane Frost is the best bull rider I know, he is definately the man. He had a lot nuts to keep on riding and don't give up, he had more nuts than Red Rock. Luke Perry was perfect in playing the part of Lane Frost. Every time I see the movie I think about my cousins, friends, and the guys that I don't know and pray the God nothing like that happens.Lane Frost really deserves to be in The Hall of Fame. May God bless his family for holding up.

A solid ride
When this movie first came out, I did not know who Lane Frost was. After I saw it, however, I wish I would have known him. This film may come off as sort of sugary sweet to some, but adultery, drinking, fighting and cussing don't seem so sugary to me. Mr. Frost had faults. He was human. But he prevailed where others have failed. That is what make him a hero and Luke Perry's portrayal of Mr. Frost exemplifies that.

This movie suffers from a few inaccuracies, but those inaccuracies help move this film along at a pace that non-rodeo people can enjoy. The acting is fine, and that's really Luke Perry on some of those bulls. You've got to give the guy a nod for that.

The soundtrack is also very influential on the look and feel of this movie. "Once In Awhile" by Billy Dean is the pinnacle performance in this movie, and if you're eyes don't well up when you hear it, you've got no heart inside.

This is a decent family movie, although some younger kids probably shouldn't be exposed to some of the language and the adultery. It should be noted, however, that these things are key in making this a real story.

This is a solid movie about a real man, full of heart and fault, yet still a hero to us all.

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Reviews (131)

Relive The "Miracle" On Ice!
Question: Out of all the "Based On A True Story" sports-related motion pictures (example: "Eight Men Out", "Rudy", etc.), how many such movies evoke a sense of nationalistic pride and patriotism (think "Cool Runnings")? "Miracle" fits the above description concisely. The period of 1979-1980 was a pivotal era in our nation's sometimes trying history: when the United States Olympic Hockey Team began training for the Lake Placid Winter Games, the American hostages underwent a lengthy 444-day stay in captivity in Iran, a nuclear reactor at Three Mile Island detonated, and, what was likely the most important and intensive story of 1979, was when the then-Soviet Union began a long invasion of Afghanistan (which prompted a boycott by our beloved amateur athletes donning the proud red, white & blue, with then-President Jimmy Carter not allowing the United States to participate in the 1980 Summer Games in Moscow). Because the Afghanistan invasion was deeply ingrained in the American public's consciousness, the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team had another thought (and goal) in mind. The U.S. team hadn't beaten the Soviets at their master winter sport since the 1960 Winter Games, and most people believed the "Corrupt Commies" could not be defeated, except one coach Herb Brooks, who, himself, tasted olympic gold glory as a member of the 1960 squad. To get the best crop of amateur star-quality athletes possible, Brooks puts his squad through the ringer, literally sweating and browbeating this group of "determined" young men until he gets the champions he wants to compete on the ice. Although he got his opportunity at olymic gold glory as an amateur player 20 years earlier, Brooks' obsession with wanting to defeat the Soviets, this time around as a coach, finds him getting his current squad in shape in a series of grueling practices "again...again...and again", until this group gets it right, according to Brooks. As for the movie's filmography, the makers of "Miracle" really put the viewer right on top of the action, courtesy of the fast-paced action game scenes and the pan-camera shots, all of which capture the interplay between Kurt Russell and the other actors to a tee. In fact, from watching a viewing of this wonderful picture, I can tell Russell prepared for the role, doing his homework by watching videotape of the actual olympic game footage, as well as from various newspaper/magazine articles on Herb Brooks himself (although the dramatics herein may have been hightened a bit to draw the viewer into the movie, nevertheless maintaining a large degree of factual conciseness). A large dose of upscale theatrics, combined with a grand display of nationalistic patriotism, makes "Miracle" worth seeing more than once. A great tribute to perhaps the finest group of athletes to grace olympic ice: Jim Craig, Neal Broten (who went on to have an outstanding career in the National Hockey League as a member of the then-Minnesota North Stars), Mike Eruzione, and the late Herb Brooks, who died shortly after filming began. This "Miracle"'s for you (and for your viewing pleasure as well, at your local cinema today)!

Tough love in Norway, Kurt Russell style
"Miracle," a story of the 1980 gold-medal winning U.S. Hockey Team, rolls its opening credits over an impressive montage of the 15 years leading up the Olympics in Lake Placid, N.Y. - Vietnam, Watergate, the oil crisis, disco - that promises to reveal an understanding of how the team's unlikely upset of the Soviet Union delivered the nation an optimism lost during the Nixon/Ford/Carter eras.

But writer Eric Guggenheim and director Gavin O'Connor only occasionally revisit that theme, and just as "Remember The Titans" eventually morphed into a romp-n-stomp football picture - clothesline hits, last-minute heroics - "Miracle" is content to end as a goal-by-goal sports drama - the mystery and method of victory having been removed over time by seemingly weekly ESPN features - and as a character study of the team's coach, Herb Brooks, a stoic who funneled his creativity into weave plays.

There is a reason coach portraits are generally on the dry side. Coaches are generally dry men. And Brooks, played by Kurt Russell, was arid and driven - shunning the U.S. Olympic committee in crafting his team, relegating his assistant (Noah Emmerich) to a whistle-blowing stooge, applying mind tricks to his blue collar squad of players. Russell gets inside Brooks - his tics, body language and "Fargo" accent - to create a decent, winning man, repressed but ambitious, given to celebrating (or genuflecting or even smiling) in private. Brooks' moral rectitude makes for an education - "Miracle" is built for the family library - but the movie is workmanlike and stodgy, too. Were Patricia Clarkson not on hand as "the wife" to jazz up scenes - Clarkson raises domes