DVD Features: Audio Commentary - 1.
Brian Robbins - Director, John Gatins - Writer
Trailer - 1. Original Theatrical
Featurette - 1. Making Of HARDBALL (12 mins.)
Deleted Scenes (3)
Music Video - 1. "Hardball" - Lil' Bow Wow, Lil' Wayne, Lil' Zane, and
Sammie
Interstitials
HARDBALL (Home Run)
Connor O'Neil (Keanu Reeves The Matrix
saga) is a man out of his luck. He's a no good gambling addict who
constantly fails at his bets. He's also got a bunch of guys after him who will
stop at nothing to kill him for their money. Now, in desperation, Connor turns
to a rich friend who offers to pay him 500 dollars a week if he agrees to coach
an inner-city baseball team. Desperate, he agrees to, with much stress. Soon, he
begins to bond with the teammates of the team who live in rundown projects with
their only refuge being baseball. He bonds with them soon realizing they are
human and not just dollar signs.
Before this movie I tended to lose all faith in Keanu Reeves.
First off, I question his acting abilities; though he is a decent actor, past
movies had made me wonder if this guy can ever make a good movie. This proved me
wrong. Now, it didn't receive much critical acclaim, but I was rather surprised
by this. Movies with similar themes like this are often handled the wrong way
with terrible plot devices and the predictable ending ala "Mighty Ducks", and
"Angels in the Outfield". Keanu is good in this as the unlikable Connor who has
to adjust to each of the team's players. He gives off great emotion and
sincerity as the character of this movie, though slowly we tend to take a liking
to him. The team's characters are the best part of the movie. Each of the
players on the team are individuals and likable ones at that. Diane Lane (Unfaithful)
plays the teacher from the boys' catholic school and is great as Connor's love
interest. All in all, we have a good story with a great ending and an occasional
plot-twist.
The movie tends to drag on with much fault to the writing. The movie has a
subplot with a romance between Reeves' and Lanes' character that seem very
unnecessary and at times dull. The subplot seemed to be a plot device to move
the story along, and it seemed too lacking in any real depth. The kids, though
good characters are just more two-dimensional cardboard cutouts of
African-American kids we see in these movies. I felt they were more like
caricatures than actual people.
Reeves does pretty good in this giving us a
decent watchable movie to feel good about.
Connor O'Neil (Keanu Reeves The Matrix
saga) is a man out of his luck. He's a no good gambling addict who
constantly fails at his bets. He's also got a bunch of guys after him who will
stop at nothing to kill him for their money. Now, in desperation, Connor turns
to a rich friend who offers to pay him 500 dollars a week if he agrees to coach
an inner-city baseball team. Desperate, he agrees to, with much stress. Soon, he
begins to bond with the teammates of the team who live in rundown projects with
their only refuge being baseball. He bonds with them soon realizing they are
human and not just dollar signs.
The movie tends to drag on with much fault to the writing. The movie has a
subplot with a romance between Reeves' and Lanes' character that seem very
unnecessary and at times dull. The subplot seemed to be a plot device to move
the story along, and it seemed too lacking in any real depth. The kids, though
good characters are just more two-dimensional cardboard cutouts of
African-American kids we see in these movies. I felt they were more like
caricatures than actual people.
Reeves does pretty good in this giving us a
decent watchable movie to feel good about.