Although the author of this novel may not have been an ardent baseball fan, he has created a unique sports fable.

Rating: Null/10 (8 October 1999)

How many Roy Hobbs has the modern world sports known? If we're honest with ourselves, the answer is probably "not enough." In today's age of financial greed, hotdogging and the occasional indiscretion with drugs and alcohol, is there room for a 35+ year old power hitting superstar? Director Barry Levinson seems to think so.
In his 1984 film which a reviewer once described as "part Rocky, part Star Wars", Levinson (and screen writer Robert Towne/from the Bernard Malamud novel) provides us with an aging superstar who receives his first shot at "the bigs" 16 years after he'd originally been ticketed for baseball stardom.
Primarily a story of redemption, the film's greatest strength lies with its protagonist--Like so many modern sports heroes, Roy Hobbs has flaws and problems. How he overcomes these imperfections provides us with some of the most uplifting and magical moments in modern cinema. Whether or not you're a sports fan, this film will remind you why we need heroes. And why the actions of our heroes lift us up right along side them, as if we were at bat with them, rapt in the adulation of the fans.
Don't miss your chance to see this erstwhile baseball fable. It may have you dreaming of the day that professional sporting events could once again be like this.