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Waste of time

Instant Favorite.

Good movie but grossly overrated

The acting in this movie is really good.

Being a Disney production, "The Rookie" could easily have settled to become a weepy dramatic tale dripping with over-dramatized scenes. Luckily, thanks to great acting and an attention to detail, this movie is instead a great human drama focusing on baseball themes.For a basic plot summary, "The Rookie" tells the true story of Jim Morris (Dennis Quaid), a 36- year old high school chemistry teacher in Texas. After a lifetime of being uprooted time and time again by his military father (Brian Cox), Morris also had his big-league baseball dream cut short by arm injuries. While coaching high school baseball in Texas and raising a family, he suddenly discovers that his left arm has some serious juice left in it. On a bet that inspires his young charges, Morris shows up at a MLB tryout and begins the journey he had thought was dormant forever.The reason this movie is so moving is because it weaves so many human-drama themes into the proceedings. Many potential viewers may dismiss it as a "baseball movie", but to do so would be foolish. This is more truly a story of family and one man's journey to make peace with his life. I can't think of anyone who wouldn't like a story like this. It is just so emotional as Morris interacts with his children, wife, parents, and others affiliated with the baseball side of his life.Only helping the drama spring to life is the incredible acting. I've seen Quaid in many movie roles, and this one is eclipsed by none of them. His body language and facial expressions carry the emotionally-charged scenes. The supporting cast around him (especially Rachel Griffiths and Angus Young as Morris' wife and son) also shines and really, truth be told, are very much more than "supporting". They are the reasons why Morris does what he does.Overall, I consider "The Rookie" to be the epitome of a solid, wholesome family drama (and just an incredibly compelling story to boot). I'm a big baseball fan, so perhaps I can appreciate the deeper, more embedded themes of the film more than the non-sports viewer, but to me this is five-star material all the way.

The Rookie is a wonderfully done underdog story, a film that easily wins us over and has us cheering in the protagonist's corner in the first act. Dennis Quaid plays Jimmy Morris, a blue blooded baseball fanatic who grew up with the game running in his blood and a bucket load of talent, but never the time to pursue it growing up. His working class father (Brian Cox) discourages that kind of ambitious and adopts a vaguely bitter worldview. And so he grows up, starts a family and the dream fades. His skill resurfaces when he coaches the town's high school baseball team. They take notice of his wildfire pitching arm, and make him a deal: if they win one championship, he takes a crack at the major leagues talent scout circuit. It's a pleasure watching an old dog like Quaid take a triumphant eleventh hour shot at success, and it makes for a fine film. Morris's fastball is a 90 plus mile an hour wunderkind and he is immediately drafted into the MLB despite his age. His family is overjoyed and he is filled with a new energy and love for life spurred on by his second chance at his passion. It's great stuff. Rachel Griffiths is solid as Jimmy's eternally supportive wife, Beth Grant is sweet as his mother and adorable Angus T. Jones makes good work of his doting son. It's Brian Cox who quietly steals the show as his father, a man soured by his own misplaced trajectory, who takes his damn time to come around and show some pride is his son. Cox is a deeply gifted pro who provides pools of gravity and anchors the film back on solid ground every time it veers towards excessive sentimentality. Especially his final, wrenching scene. A golden entry in the sports genre.

The Rookie is actually a better movie than I thought it would be. It's heart-warming and just a perfect family film. Yes, it may be overly-clichéd but because of the top-notch performances and the theme of an old-timer realizing his dreams, we can't but help enjoy this film. It also ranks up with one of the best baseball films I have ever seen.John Lee Hancock's film is about a guy named Jim Morris who was a highly-touted baseball prospect but he was always injured. Years later, he is a chemistry teacher and baseball coach in Texas when he realizes he still may have some pitches left in him. Because of that, he begins to realize he may pitch in the majors after all.The acting is very good. Dennis Quaid brings earnesty and hope to his character and we see why Dennis Quaid is one of the nicest guys in film business. Brian Cox has a nice supporting turn as his stern, disapproving father.Overall, this is a very good film thanks to some high quality performances and a wonderful script. This is an excellent sports film and an even better baseball film. I have to point out this film is not just about baseball, but about some guy making his dreams come true after he thought all is done. I rate this film 9/10.

OK first off, this is by NO means a bad movie. Not at all. It's actually a good movie trapped in an awful movie's DVD. Mainly because it's stupid. OK just so you know, I'm in high school, so I can really understand how flipping unrealistic all those scenes that involve high schoolers are. OK you know in the district championship game when Rudy is pitching to the "bad guy" in red hair? THERE IS NO WAY THAT GUY IS IN HIGH SCHOOL. even the seniors at my school look like toddlers compared to the kid. Also, during the seen in the beginning of the flick the protagonist is a kid aged 10-12, but later he is 30-40, so obviously the characters have all aged 20-30 years, but the 3 weird old guys he always hangs out with don't change at all in appearance! frank's hair turned white, but other than that there the exact same! it's like the just returned from the set of tuck everlasting. when the young morris goes into the store, all those old guys are between 40-60. Twenty to thirty years later, they look the same. dumb. so does the dad, the exact same.also during the seen when he's posting the newspapers clippings on his bulletin board, i paused it and went up the the TV and read that newspapers, and IT Wasn't ABOUT BASEBALL.also this nonsense with the tryouts, tell me the last time you saw a huge billboard that said "hey have you ever wanted to play in the MLB? well then come here at this time!" for him to even a freaking shot at the majors he would need an agent! the music in the this film sucks too, particularly when he's timing his pitches with the car radar thing.also, why is the kid ALWAYS WITH THE DAD? i mean did he get divorced and take custody? that punk is always with him, even at practice. my freshman basketball coach ALWAYS brings his kids (all 3 of em) to our practices, and my teammates HATE IT and the last thing we would want is for one of them to come party in the locker room with us, like "Hunter" does.