The Natural projects a different world

Rating: 10/10 (3 May 2001)

How strange and refreshing to see a movie so lacking in cynicism. The people who populate the world of The Natural, from the stars to the fans in the stands, projected a quality not seen in today's world. Could you say they were natural? That comes close. There's an unhurried, genuine affection for the game of baseball and for its star, Roy Hobbs. This is not a film about things as they are. There's minimal profanity, sex, and violence, with heavy doses of sentiment. Hobbs is a hero many of us dream about being. The makers of this film had the nerve to project that dream without apology.
This movie is intended to make you feel good, and I think it largely succeeds.