Home Run !

Rating: 9/10 (8 November 2002)

Possible spoilers ahead, drive carefully.
Another in a long line of inspirational sports success stories, presented in broad strokes and succeeding on various levels. What sets The Rookie apart from other run-of-the-mill sports movies is Dennis Quaid's somewhat muted but appealing performance and the fact that the climax is not about winning the big game. So many other sports movies always result in the team making it to that big game and then its over, with Rudy being a notable exception and make no mistake, The Rookie does share a common theme with Rudy in that its about perseverance and not so much about winning the world series/super bowl/championship.
No one is really allowed to stretch themselves dramatically here, yet the payoff is still worth the ride. The director and screenwriter strike a fine balance by finding the right tone that befits Jim Morris' very personal and triumphant story.
I believe The Rookie will hold up over time and can be mentioned in the ranks of Hoosiers and Rudy as fine sports-inspired tales of making it.
Now that covers Football, Basketball and Baseball....I wonder how many screenwriters out there right now are working on a Hockey version ?