The Comrades of Summer

This film is not a great film. It's not high-quality. No effects, no fabulous camera-work, even the plot is fairly generic. But it works. As a TV movie, and one that is obviously not meant to be taken seriously, this film should not be judged in the same league as the great movies. This film is startlingly similar to Mr. Baseball (also released in 1992) but it has character that MR. Baseball lacks, and is much more funny. As well, Joe Mantegna far outpaces Tom Selleck, and the cast in general is much stronger. Joe Mantegna plays his character well; he adds a dimension to Sparky Smith that I'm sure wouldn't seem possible if I had read the script in advance. But he doesn't outshine the rest of the cast. This cast is made up of mostly no name actors, but they all do really well with a script that is hardly stunning. They create magic out of cornmeal. Especially Milo, who never ceases to make me laugh. All in all, don't watch this film for enlightenment, nor for high-calibre film-making. Watch it as brain-candy. If you don't take it seriously, and simply accept it as a fun and amusing flick, then you won't be able to help yourself! Cheezy but enjoyable, and at times *very* funny. Quality wise it probably deserves a five or six on ten, but considering its enjoyment value I rate it 8/10.