So often, we as fans idolize our sporting heroes and think them sort of "above the fray" from the types of problems we all face in our lives. This is utter nonsense, of course, and in "Under the Grapefruit Tree" the story of baseball pitcher CC Sabathia is laid bare, warts and all. Using a frame narrative initially set during CC's last hurrah in 2019, this documentary flashes back to earlier moments in his career both positive and negative.
On one hand, it provides much interesting information about his working-class economic background in California and rise to MLB stardom with the Indians, Brewers, and Yankees. He is a true hard work success story and seems to be a really great guy on top of all of it.
However, lurking behind that fantastic career were many personal demons. Not only did he lose many important and guiding family members at a young age, but he also battled alcoholism (binge-drinking), to the point of being so hungover before a game that he couldn't make it through a bullpen session. As fans, we only see the athlete struggling. We don't see the behind-the-scenes responses from friends and family members--until here.
It never fails to make me feel somewhat aged when a player completed his entire career in my baseball-watching existence. But that familiarity also heightens my ability to connect with the events on even the most basic of levels. As HBO sports docs are want to do, this turns into an emotional, compelling look at the side of an athlete fans in the seats or on the couch don't get to see.
