More than just a Sports Biography

Rating: 8/10 (19 September 2014)

IMDb says this a biography sports drama but i would call it more of a biography than a sports film. The story is about a sports agent in the US trying to save his career by thinking out of the box. He recruits two Indian youths (Rinku and Dinesh) belonging from poor Indian families and brings them to the US to get them trained by professional baseball coach.
The film is based on a true story and I do not know whether the retelling is a bit dramatized for the sake of the screen or not. But, the movie clearly shows a transition in the character of JB. His little adventure of foraying into uncharted waters leads him to self realization. He comes to value the things which matter in life and I think this was one of the points the director was intending to make.
The story of Rinku and Dinesh is also much tumultuous. They find themselves in the foreign land and struggling to adjust to their new lives. They have to dig deep to get their heart and soul into the game and find their fire so that they are able to shine at the right time. I cannot say more without inviting a spoiler tag.
The music is wonderful and A R Rahman has done a good job as usual. The movie was able to reinvigorate even the clichéd scenes like that of "bypassing the system" :). By the way, not all Indians are like that.
Being an Indo-US drama there are some scenes where the non desi population might call it to be over dramatic but they blend with the overall story perfectly. Also there is some dance and music sometimes at completely unexpected points in the film. This was included maybe to put some local touch.
The film is an amalgamation of both cultures and it is more than just a sports biography. It is good enough to keep you cheerful for the major part.
Do watch till the end as there are real life photos and videos of Rinku and Dinesh who have underwent a truly rags to riches transformation.