Good But Could Have Perhaps Been a Touch Better

Rating: 7/10 (8 April 2019)

I am a Redford fan but I can look at his career work and see that he has an image he wants to preserve and therefore draws the line on what he will sacrifice for a performance. In Redford's case, that can most easily be seen in his hair. There are no movies with Redford in a buzzcut. I'm not sure if I have ever seen him cry, either. But put him in the right movie and he stands out. The Natural is such a movie. But as I watch the movie, I wonder if maybe because it stars Redford it plays a little overly soft and gentle, as though the film is aimed more at 14 year-olds when compared to 40 year-olds. Maybe a slightly grittier Roy Hobbs would have made for a better movie. That is asking a lot and there is nothing wrong with making a film that appeals to 14 year-olds. I gave The Natural 7 stars, and that's pretty good.