Hardball film review

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HARDBALL

In a brief respite from shooting the two Matrix sequels back to back, Keanu Reeves headlines this likeable sports movie, which blends the feelgood heroics of The Mighty Ducks with the grittiness of Boyz N The Hood.

Aimless thirtysomething Conor O'Neill (Reeves) is facing mounting gambling debts, with seemingly no way to pay them off. His businessman friend, Jimmy (Mike McGlone), agrees to settle the arrears at a rate of $500 per week, if Conor will coach a youth baseball team for underprivileged kids in one of the toughest and most impoverished parts of Chicago.

Keen to avoid a visit from the heavies, Conor reluctantly agrees, and arrives at the baseball field to find a team of littler leaguers in disarray. Gradually winning the boys trust, Conor quickily finds that for the first time in his life, he has other people relying on him.

Forced to cast aside his selfish ways, Conor suddenly finds hope and friendship with the boys, and develops an attraction to their plucky teacher Ms Wilkes (Diane Lane).

The team gradually bonds and under Conor's expert direction, the youngsters realise that with a little hard work (and maybe some luck), they can achieve their goals. Championship glory looms, until an explosion of gang warfare in the neighbourhood threatens to tear the team apart.

Hardball dutifully ticks off the sports movie cliches - the rousing talk by the coach which galvanizes the previously fractured team into action, the youngest and least experienced member of the team stepping up to the plate in the final innings to potentially win the match.

Reeves will never be a great actor, but he's serviceable here, generating sympathy for his gambling addict-turned-good guy. The kids are all feisty and cute, and look like they are having a ball sparring with a big Hollywood star like Reeves.

The grand finale mixes tragedy with sporting triumph. What's more, it's all based on a true story, as chronicled in the book Hardball: A Season In The Projects by Daniel Coyle.

Somebody pass the tissues...