WARM BASEBALL SAGA SWINGS, BUT DOESN'T REALLY CONNECT.Byline: Glenn Whipp Film Critic DISNEY'S G-RATED family film ``The Rookie'' spends nearly as much time telling the Cinderella story of baseball pitcher Jim Morris He spent most of his childhood moving to different cities. as Michael Mann Michael Mann is the name of:
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. They are in the West Division of the National League. home games. The filmmakers are constantly swinging from their heels, intent on hitting a grand slam grand slam n. 1. The winning of all the tricks during the play of one hand in bridge and other whist-derived card games. 2. Sports The winning of all the major or specified events, especially on a professional circuit. , apparently unaware that all they need to do is simply put wood on the ball to serve their subject well. ``The Rookie'' is based on the life of Morris (Dennis Quaid, solid in the Everyman role), who, after junior college, had a brief minor-league career before blowing his arm out. Morris settled down in the podunk town of Big Lake, Texas, teaching chemistry and coaching high school baseball in a state where football gets the glory. The weird thing is, Morris has been throwing on the side and his fast ball has a lot more pop than it ever did when he was younger. Unable to motivate his players, Morris, now 35, agrees to the following challenge: If they win district, he'll try out for the major leagues. The results are inevitable, and the movie revels in not one, but two rags-to- riches stories, along with not one, but two, heartfelt father-and-son relationships and not one, but two moments of triumph and redemption. There are also plenty of old-timers offering homespun wisdom and a cute kid who always manages to say the darndest things. The film's earnest Americana is hard to dislike; you just wish that talented director John Lee Hancock (``My Dog Skip'') and screenwriter Mike Rich (``Finding Forrester'') had picked their spots a little better. Morris' story is exciting on its own terms, but the filmmakers seem unable to comprehend how to tell it originally and authentically, without resorting to the same story arc we've seen in countless other sports movies. That said, Hancock has does a nice, understated job in fleshing out Morris' home life, including his relationships with his understanding wife (Rachel Griffiths), adoring son (Angus T. Jones Angus Turner Jones (born October 8, 1993) is an American child actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as "Jake" in the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men (2003-present). Jones was born in Austin, Texas, to Kelly Charles Jones and Carey Lynn Claypool. ) and distant father (Brian Cox This article is about the actor. For the physicist, see Brian Cox (physicist). For the director, see Brian Cox (director). For the football player, see Bryan Cox. Brian Denis Cox, CBE (born June 1, 1946) is a Scottish actor. ). The movie has plenty of appeal to those who like their baseball served up with ``Natural''-style reverence, and it certainly would make for a decent choice for fathers and sons (or families, for that matter) looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. a movie to see together. Just don't take the little ones young children. See also: Little - unless they're the kind of patient tykes who can sit through a real nine-inning baseball game Noun 1. baseball game - a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs; "he played baseball in high school"; "there was a baseball game on every empty lot"; "there was a desire for National League without imploding. THE ROOKIE - Two and one half stars (Rated G) Starring: Dennis Quaid, Rachel Griffiths, Brian Cox Director: John Lee Hancock. Running time: 2 hr. 9 min. Playing: Wide release. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Dennis Quaid, second from right, portrays Jim Morris, who, following a challenge to the members of the high-school baseball team he was coaching, wound up pitching in the major leagues. |
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