Hardball
Published January 10, 2025
Film info
- Title Hardball
- Director Brian Robbins
- Year 2001
- Run time 1hr 46m
- Genre Drama
- Tagline The most important thing in life is showing up
An aimless young man who is scalping tickets, gambling and drinking, agrees to coach a Little League team from the Cabrini Green housing project in Chicago as a condition of getting a loan from a friend.
Live blog
| Time | Comment |
|---|---|
| 1:54 | “I’ve got it. I’m gonna have it.” Two very different things. |
| 11:27 | I secretly enjoy the guy paying someone else to do his bit for the community. |
| 12:28 | Yay, it’s Doug Dorsey! |
| 16:01 | “It’s okay, it’s just my head.” |
| 25:50 | Being out after dark is scary enough without cars on fire and the like. |
| 35:24 | I haven’t read A Wrinkle in Time. |
| 39:19 | I love it when one point means everything because you’re being whooped. |
| 41:38 | Most Valuable Pizza-eater. |
| 47:56 | Regotiate. |
| 58:36 | Bureaucracy spoiling everything as usual. |
| 1:09:34 | “I did quit.” I just also have to go back there. |
| 1:12:19 | How they fitting all those kids in the one car? |
| 1:29:17 | Brutal. He’s so tiny. |
| 1:36:49 | “We wanna play, bitch.” |
Thoughts
After two film fails, this was just what we needed - a sports redemption story and bonus Keanu Reeves. It’s a good film, the kids are adorable, and it’s an enjoyable watch with plenty of emotions along the way. But if you take a step back, it’s not exactly original - really just a combination of Mighty Ducks and Dangerous Minds - and it’s pretty derivative from start to finish. But definitely worth a watch, either way.
Rating: 3 / 5
