"A simple 'thank you' would've been nice."

Rating: 7/10 (29 July 2018)

In the game of Life, some are chosen for greatness, while others... can only watch.
Such is the case with Gil Renard (Robert DeNiro) a divorced, unstable knife salesman, who has only one light left in his life:
Baseball.
And only one person he admires:
Bobby Rayburn.
Bobby Rayburn, by sharp contrast, is the most preeminent baseball player for the San Francisco Giants.
As the movie progresses, we watch both men's lives unravel.
And while Renard loses his job, and custody of his son; Rayburn (played by Wesley Snipes) suffers a chest injury, and gets upstaged by an ambitious young player, Juan Primo (Benicio Del Toro).
It is at this point in the story when Renard decides to take matters into his own hands:
He murders Primo, thus restoring Rayburn to his former greatness, but this is not enough.
Firmly believing that he has done a good thing (for the Giants, and his idol), Renard decides to reach out to Rayburn, it being his opinion that the baseball star doesn't acknowledge his fans enough.
This sets off a series of events which lead the increasingly more unhinged Renard to kidnap Rayburn's son...and demand a home run in exchange for his return.
This is a very familiar theme of obsession and murder.
You've seen this movie before, with different actors, different storylines, and different titles.
What makes this one worth watching however, is a decent script (take for instance, the last scene of the movie), an excellent cast, and a powerful director.
Tony Scott does a terrific job with this movie, giving it a dimension most directors could never have achieved.
The actors are right on target, bringing out the complexities of their characters.
Bobby Rayburn is very well played by Snipes:
He's confident, and self-assured without being arrogant.
Robert DeNiro is spectacular as Renard:
He's clearly psychotic, and, although you can't root for him, you can understand what's causing his breakdown.
He's a failure at his degrading job. Because of his volatile personality, he's incapable of maintaining a good relationship with his son, and his marriage crashed some time ago.
His one moment of glory was in Little League. And as, the shot of an old newspaper clipping flashes through the screen, you feel you understand this character perfectly.
John Leguziamo, and Ellen Barkin put the finishing touches on a movie which, though not unforgettable, is still strangely notable.
Originally Written On:
June 5, 2018