You Gotta Believe

This movie was lovely and you could tell it was true as no hollywood fluff was added. We need small Movies like this to have balance and not just blockbusters. I liked all the kids and the main actors were totally real. The moral is what we all teach our children so seeing people Live it touches the heart. Every family should want to see this film. I recommend it. Not a bad news bear which was all fake. Just a Good movie. Good storytelling and real people with real feelings. These movies will go away and we will only see blockbusters or crude or horror films if we don't support the family films.

It's 2002. Bobby Ratliff (Luke Wilson) and Jon Kelly (Greg Kinnear) are coaches of a terrible Little League team in Texas. When nobody else wants to compete, they are asked to participate in a game which leads all the way to the Little League World Series.

This is based on a true story and that may be part of the problem. The true story requires the movie to center on Bobby Ratliff's ordeal whereas it is desperately trying to be The New Bad News Bears. They just need to get that girl pitcher. The kids are not able to distinguish themselves. It's the name Rocket, glasses, and skirt chaser. To be clear, that's all I truly remember from the three main kids. Don't even mention the rest of the team. This needs to be their movie, but it is not completely that. Ultimately, it is a problem that cannot be overcome.

It's more for older kids and adults with heavy and undeniably inspirational moments. It's about believing in something and allowing it to help carry you through something impossible. The Kelley's were a force every time they were on screen. "Robert" was endearing and honest. "Peanut" was light hearted and balanced the scenes without being too much. The boys had a sweet relationship with each other that felt very real. Luke Wilson portrayed the father as reserved and hands on without being overbearing. Very salt of the earth. The boys individually who played the ball players held their own well. They were very believable in their efforts to support and be there for the Ratliff boys at their young ages. Nothing felt frilly or dishonest. The jokes the players had on the team were cute without feeling out of place. The way the story approached life's hardest realities was refreshing and didn't overreach for what a child's reaction or understanding would be. They let there be so much room for emotions. It was raw and beautiful.

The message of a young team rallying behind a powerful emotional cause that pushes them beyond what they think is possible is always one that I will be drawn to and interested in. The fact that it's a true story makes it very tragic.

However, the film does not at all do such a true story justice. The script is extremely poor and the characters take a long time to connect with. The idea is that the team is supposed to be a really bad baseball team and has no hope at all as a fill in team for a spot in the Little League World Series. There's brief moments of them practicing but we aren't really shown the evolution of the kids as players or really how they've matured as individuals while dealing with the personal matters the one family faces on the team. Yes , they do say lines that suggest they have matured, but without actually seeing it play out much ourselves it feels like the lines are forced in to make the plot work.

There are also many confusing lines along the way that distract or take away from the main message of the movie. In particular the friendship between the coach's feels odd. I'm not sure if it's cast selection or the acting quality. In general the head coach who is an attorney seems to get more screen time than is warranted.

Overall , it's a touching story but maybe a book would have been a better format to tell the story so that people can appreciate the details better.

It won't mean the same to those that haven't experienced this in real life but obviously those who actually lived this story I appreciate you sharing this and I'm inspired to play on as I continue to believe and play the game almost 60 years after my little league all star dreams.

Many a championship since then but the confluence of my father's influence and the joy of coaching my son have etched an enormously important memory in my life.

So they won't let me get away without commenting on the movie itself. Luke, Greg, Sarah and all the kids give outstanding performances. The on field action is realistic enough to relate.