Raetsonwe Redundant and unnecessary.

SnoReptilePlenty Memorable, crazy movie

Maidexpl Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

Calum Hutton It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

invisibleunicornninja Sure, there are a few enjoyable moments, but overall, this movie is really really stupid and not worth watching or even talking about.

Hitchcoc If you are unwilling to accept the basic premise of the film, that a child who has surgery on a broken arm is suddenly able to throw a pitch over 100 miles per hour, you aren't going to like this movie. I've been a baseball fan for 60 years and I know when a baseball movie is going to present an accurate portrayal of the game. If you read anything about this film and you are a purist, there are probably another ten movie to pick from this day. That said, this is a delightful film with a joyfulness that brings back memories of what it was like to be a mediocre baseball player, still hoping to be a major leaguer someday. The boy in this film is klutzy, so his entrance into a major league game is filled with fear and worry. There are good guys and bad guys, especially the father candidate. At some point, we know that reality will set in and, like "Damn Yankees," someone is going to have to face a real situation. This is just charming and fun. Enjoy it. It was never meant to be a documentary.

brian-crouch-1 This movie asks the question: "What if pro baseball was fun again, like in little league, and not so taken so seriously?" The device of Henry's miraculous arm allows the story to inject a kid's eye view into a somewhat cynical world. Juxtaposing the sleazy Dan Hedaya's attempted $25 million trade of Henry to the Yankees with the Henry and his buddies taking a day trip on a boat, as well as Henry's adolescent antics on the field, director Daniel Stern is trying to get us to look at baseball, and maybe sports, maybe life, like we did when we were ten. I think Roger Ebert, although I agree with his review, took pretty poor notes while reviewing this film. From his article: "When the cast comes off, his dad takes him to Wrigley Field, and he catches a home run ball while he's out in the bleachers, and then he throws it back - all the way to the catcher behind the plate." Actually, he went with his friends, he doesn't even know his dad. And he didn't catch it, his friends pick it up from nearby, and hand it to him because they're scared to throw it on TV and embarrass themselves. Doesn't he have a fact-checker to proof his reviews?Second, he writes: "Henry becomes an overnight celebrity, and is signed to the Cubs by the team's genial owner." This ignores the desperation of Dan Hedaya, the would-be owner of the team, who sees the publicity and marketing windfall in having a kid on the team. The sell-out crowd is an important story element, as it reinforces the idea that we are all hungry for baseball to be fun again. There's are lots of laughs to be had in this film, although Stern seems to want to indulge in over-the-top hysterics from time to time, such as with the character he was playing. Also, the bilious "Jack" who gets Henry's mom to sign a contract without telling her it's a trade to NY, is downright spastic in his final scene. Stern shows a lot of promise as a comedy director if he could tone it down just a touch with the tangential characters. Understatement can be funny, as Busey shows with a few choice glares at the right moments. I loved Stern's allusion to the Wizard of Oz, likening the Emerald City gates to the Wrigley stadium gates, when Henry first arrives to play. The Cubs haven't won a Series since 1909. "And a little child shall lead them..." Every kid should see this movie.

Fanky Malloon My 11 year old, who loves baseball, and I watched this. He loved it, and I thought it was good, too. It was amusing, and sweet, and had good messages ("don't abandon your friends," "somethings are more important than money," your mom is the coolest").A totally good family film for old and young. (as long as you like baseball). No Academy Award, nothing to write home about, but good with popcorn, and a kid leaning on your shoulder.