The gritty industrial city of Monterey, Mexico sets the scene for the first parts of William Dear’s (Harry and the Hendersons) The Perfect Game. The film is a geyser of sentimentality and will likely be a way for some people to descend into a pit of nostalgia. It has been a while since a movie aimed for kids has focused on something as earthy as baseball, a sport that seems to have been lost on the big screen to make way for 3D spectacles and CGI monsters.

That being said, it is a shame that The Perfect Game falls as short as it does. On one hand, it is the retelling of an inspiring Mexican little league team makes it to the 1957 Little League World Series. On the other, it is a flat representation of foreigners’ struggles on American soil. It drowns in sentimentality and doesn’t offer the sport it displays any new ground to tread on. For me, little league baseball invokes strong memories, none of which were necessarily brought back by watching the film.

The plot follows a rag tag group of boys under the helm of Padre Esteban, played by Cheech Marin. The old stoner comedy poster boy does a decent job in his role as a priest and it is always fun to see him act out of the element so many people know him in. Padre Esteban is looking for something to get the boys out of trouble, so he forms a baseball team. Cezar Faz, an ex-pro played by the charismatic Clifton Collins, Jr., finds his way in the coaching seat.

This new team shows great promise throughout the film, and rises in ranks all the way to the Little League World Series, which takes up the second half of the film. Along the way, they are met with immigration laws and racism, among other problems. These all touch close to home, despite the film’s 1957 setting. It’s interesting to see the reactions of the kids and the coach, but really there’s nothing new to see here. Cheap romantic subplots and tear jerking moments end up weakening the film.

The Perfect Game is at its best when it focuses on baseball. Though the directing of the actual games played leaves something to be desired, the kids on the team add heart and soul to their performances. As the underdog darlings of their final game of the season, the audience too will likely find themselves rooting for them.

This film is a wonderful introduction to sports films for a much younger audience. There isn’t really much for adults to grab onto, but anyone who liked films like The Mighty Ducks, or Angels in the Outfield (also directed by Dear) growing up . . . may find they remember a better, earlier time in their lives. Then again, maybe not. This film really is a tossup, but one thing that cannot be denied is just how inspiring this true story is – a  story of an underdog, foreign team taking the field against the highly favored Americans.

This entry was posted on Friday, April 16th, 2010 at 8:48 pm and is filed under 2.5, Film Reviews, Matt Balmaseda. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.