Solid film, with excellent moments

Rating: 8/10 (11 August 2003)

I liked the director's comment (on the DVD) that "you couldn't make this movie if it wasn't true". He is absolutely right. It is an unbelievable story, especially for anyone who wishes to have "just one more chance" at their youth.
Quaid gives an excellent restrained performance. An Army brat raised all over the place, but finally in Texas, he has charm and humor and a solid cowboy-like presence. The boy who played his oldest child was wonderful, if at the cost of making the other children cardboard characters.
Surrounding Quaid and his son are a wealth of characters, from Brian Cox (becoming one of my favorite character actors) as his father (as someone who lost several years with his father through mutual bullheadedness this was tough to watch), to the townspeople (especially the guy at the general store), to Rachel Griffiths as his believably attractive wife, all playing against the beautiful background of west Texas, we have a finely crafted piece of cinema.
While bordering on maudlin, it never crosses over, Quaid plays stolid enough that the flashes of his smile are welcomed and his face as he pitches show the fastballer who only knows one way to throw.