If you're a baseball fan, this is a must see. Billy Heywood is a 12 year old baseball nut that inherits the Minnesota Twins when his grandfather dies. After firing the manager, Billy appoints himself as the new bench boss of the Twins. Sounds completely implausible,0 I know. I avoiding watching this for years because of the train wreck known as Rookie of the Year. They have nothing in common.
The writing in this movie is superb. Not only does the script manage to capture what it was like to be a 12 year old, but there was clearly an intelligent baseball fan responsible for much of the movie's dialogue. It's so nice to watch a baseball movie that assumes I might actually understand baseball strategy and appreciate the game's history.
However, what truly sets this movie apart are the baseball scenes. Clearly, the extras are (or were) professional baseball players. Even those with speaking parts can all play (or fake it well enough). There's also numerous cameos from a slew of major league baseball players (circa 1994).
Terrific supporting performances by Jonathan Silverman, Jason Robards, Timonth Busfield and the two kids who play Billy's best friends. The actor who plays Billy (Luke Edwards) could have been a bit more polished, but maybe that added to the charm. Well worth your time.
The writing in this movie is superb. Not only does the script manage to capture what it was like to be a 12 year old, but there was clearly an intelligent baseball fan responsible for much of the movie's dialogue. It's so nice to watch a baseball movie that assumes I might actually understand baseball strategy and appreciate the game's history.
However, what truly sets this movie apart are the baseball scenes. Clearly, the extras are (or were) professional baseball players. Even those with speaking parts can all play (or fake it well enough). There's also numerous cameos from a slew of major league baseball players (circa 1994).
Terrific supporting performances by Jonathan Silverman, Jason Robards, Timonth Busfield and the two kids who play Billy's best friends. The actor who plays Billy (Luke Edwards) could have been a bit more polished, but maybe that added to the charm. Well worth your time.