The Rookie Movie Review:


Over the past years, Walt Disney Pictures has released many family films about the human spirit. Films like Iron Will, Cool Runnings, and Remember the Titans are to name a few. All of these films are very predictable, but just so likeable. Disney continues this trend with their new family film The Rookie.

The Rookie is based on the true story of Jim Morris, who got a second chance to live his childhood dream.

The film starts from Jim’s roots, showing him as youngster with a love for baseball. The story then flashes forward thirty years to where Jim has settled in the place he last moved to as a child, Big Lake, Texas. We learn that he tried out for the majors as a pitcher, but quit due to a shoulder injury. He is now a family man with a lovely wife (Griffiths) and a cute son (Jones). Jim still loves baseball and is the coach of the high school team, where he also teaches science to the students.

The Big Lake Owls baseball team is not that good, in the last two seasons they have only won a couple of games. They are a likeable group of young men that also love their coach.

The team is stunned one day at practice when they learn that Jim can still throw over ninety miles an hour. The young ball players make a deal with their coach that if they win district, than Jim has to try out again for the majors. Jim finally agrees after the players continuously argue the deal with him.

The film then turns into an inspiring journey not only for Jim, but the team, his son and his wife. Though predictable, the story is told structurally and patiently.

Screenwriter Mike Rich and director John Lee Hancock present a pretty good family drama with The Rookie. Yes, the film is a baseball story, but also a story of inspiration, which I believe is good for children. I learned of Jim Morris’ story a few years ago on Primetime. It is obvious that Rich and Hancock for the most part stuck to the facts and did their research. There were a couple of things to me that I believe were fictionalized, but the parts that were altered helped the story. The bothersome problem I had with The Rookie was the symbolic opening narration of the film how the field in Big Lake came about. I thought the symbolic take was confusing and unimportant to the film, but after a while, you will forget about it.

Dennis Quaid is the type of actor that can hold a film like The Rookie together, and he is the glue to this film. He delivers a solid performance as the aging pitcher with motivation. I like Quaid’s film selection lately, along with The Rookie; he has recently delivered good work in Traffic and Frequency. HBO’s Six Feet Under star Rachel Griffiths also delivers steady work as Jim’s wife Lorri. Angus Jones, who plays eight-year old son, is so adorable that one can’t help but like him. Finally, there is the great Brian Cox, who always delivers admirable work, serves up the goods as Jim’s military father.

The Rookie is not a great film by any means, but it is one of those good likeable films that Disney occasionally releases. Even though it is a baseball movie, I believe that most audiences will enjoy it.

Report Card Grade: B

Joseph Tucker

What is it about the majesty of baseball that has enchanted filmmakers for so many years? From "Pride of the Yankees" to "Field of Dreams" to "61*", Hollywood continues its affection and admiration for the sport again in "The Rookie".

"The Rookie" tells the true story of Jimmy Morris (Dennis Quaid), a thirty-seven year old science teacher and part-time baseball coach who missed his chance at major league baseball when he suffered from an injury. While practicing with his high-school students, Morris learns that his constant practicing since the injury has resulted in an ability to pitch faster and harder than he ever could before. Morris's dreams had been dashed and he didn't want to risk his new family on trying to follow his dream again.

Morris makes a deal with his struggling baseball team that if they start to win and go to state, he will try out for the major leagues again. This promise gives the kids new found energy and they do just that. Now it is up to aging Morris to keep his promise.

Directed by John Lee Hancock, who is best known for his television work on critically acclaimed and short-lived shows such as "Falcone" and "L.A. Doctors", "The Rookie" hits very close to home as it pulls at your heart strings and makes you think of your family. The film is one of those "feel-good" films that critics scream bloody murder about. I am not one of those critics because here we have a film we can finally take the whole family to and not worry about sexual innuendos.

I liked "The Rookie" because of Dennis Quaid. I haven't seen Quaid bring this much to a film since before his marriage to Meg Ryan. Back in 1983 (pre-Ryan), Quaid made a lot of good films including "Innerspace", "Dreamscape", "The Big Easy" and his amazing performance as Jerry Lee Lewis in "Great Balls of Fire!" to name a few. After his nuptials to Ryan in 1991, Quaid seemed to play a lot of smaller roles or very forgettable roles. Now after Ryan, Quaid has had an up-swing in his career with strong performances in "Frequency" and "Dinner with Friends". His performance in "The Rookie" is the probably the best hi-light of that up-swing. Quaid's performance in this film reminded me a lot of Kevin Costner's in "Field of Dreams". There is a lot of warmth, frustration and awe in his portrayal of Jimmy Morris.

Rachel Griffiths (of TV's "Six Feet Under") plays Morris's wife, Lorrie, and she does bring a lot of down-home support and love for her on-screen husband. But like Amy Madigan in "Field of Dreams", Griffiths's role is very underused and very played down.

In the early stages of "The Rookie", I thought that the film emulated some of the feelings I got from watching the Robert Redford baseball movie, "The Natural". As soon as that magnificent panoramic shot involving Jimmy Morris going from child to man came across the screen I knew where the picture was going. I loved that shot.

I am sure "The Rookie" is going to be remembered as one of those great baseball films because of its grandeur and honesty in telling the story of Jimmy Morris. But I hope it is also remembered as a great treat for the family.

(4 of 5)

So Says the Soothsayer.

Dean Kish

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