The Rookie is one of my favorite male-weepie sports films. Sensitively directed by John Lee Hancock and passionately written by Mike Rich, the film stars Dennis Quaid as real life baseball legend Jim Morris, who had a brief but phenomenally glorious career as a MLB pitcher. His claim to fame: Entering the sport at the tender age of 35, a time in life when most players are having early thoughts of retirement. I adore this film – it just flat-out works on every conceivable level. The performances are note perfect, the writing is top-notch, the baseball footage is some of the absolute best ever captured for a Hollywood production, and when that moment of supreme personal triumph arrives as Quaid trots out from the bullpen when he makes his debut – I dare you not to cry. Captured in a long tracking shot by the incredible cinematographer John Schwartzman, making excellent use of LENS FLARE POWER, the camera glides out to the pitcher’s mound, and then goes into full-on swirling mode as it begins to settle in on Quaid just exactly what he’s accomplished. I’d honestly have to check to see if you have a beating heart if this moment doesn’t make an impact on you as a viewer. A superb supporting cast including Rachel Griffiths as Quaid’s supportive wife, Angus T. Jones as their son, and master scene stealer Brian Cox as Quaid’s father all deliver finely etched performances which strengthen the overall narrative, giving it weight and honest family dimension that feels real and true. Schwartzman’s warm and beautiful 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen cinematography captures all of the action, on and off the field, with subtle style and loving affection for the rural landscapes and working class environs that the story trades off of, while also splendidly capturing a timeless sense of baseball love. And in tandem with Eric Beason’s fluid and steady editing and Carter Burwell’s sweeping yet net overbearing score, the film hits repeated grace notes without ever losing its full head of steam, all the way up until the potent finale, which hits both small and large notes of emotional satisfaction. Honestly, Quaid has rarely been better than he was here, in a role tailor made to his inherent charm and likability – he should have gotten an Oscar nomination.
Podcasting Them Softly 