Starts out Ok, then quickly unravels downward

Rating: 5/10 (29 September 2001)

Brian Robbins' Hardball is a movie that actually has a decent concept- a troubled gambler (Keanu Reeves) takes on coaching a baseball team in inner-city Chicago to pay off his large gambling debt. Not bad, but then of course the film diverges into a pit of cliches, usual endings, and Reeves. This movie might have gotten a higher grade if not for Reeves. The thing with him as an actor is that when he's good (Matrix, the Gift) he can be good, but when he gets a role like this (or like Sweet November for instance) it's almost a near abomination. One thing to point out that was a decent touch- the pitcher on the team (I don't remember the name) Reeves coaches listens to "Big Poppa" by Biggie smalls in order to pitch strikes. D+