Today’s quick review: Hardball. Thousands of dollars in debt as a result of his gambling addiction, Conor O’Neill (Keanu Reeves) takes a job coaching an inner city baseball team. In spite of his reluctance, he ends up making a connection with Andre (Bryan C. Hearne), Jefferson (Julian Griffith), and the other boys. But when the chance comes to get back into gambling, Conor much choose between a shot at riches and the team he’s come to love.
Hardball is a sports drama about a selfish, reckless man who inadvertently becomes a mentor to a group of inner city boys. As unreliable as Conor is, he still manages to be one of the most positive influences the kids have, and the baseball team becomes a source of joy in their lives. Hardball is a natural mix of personal growth for Conor, an underdog story for the team, and a snapshot of the violence and uncertainty the boys have to grow up with.
Hardball does the basics right. Conor’s growth is as halting as it is believable. Initially motivated solely by the money, his basic human decency is enough to make him take care of the kids and invest in their future. At the same time, his gambling addiction and his own scars threaten to undermine his progress.
As for the kids, Hardball captures the difficulties of growing up in a poor, crime-ridden neighborhood. Baseball is a lifeline for the team, and the movie does a good job of conveying that they are friendly, talented boys being bent out of shape by the environment they are in. Finally, the baseball itself is a breath of fresh air. The stakes are low but very personal, and the play is much more believable than the typical underdog story.
Still, Hardball comes across as formulaic. Conor works well as the main character, but he does nothing to stand out from a long line of characters with similar flaws. The major beats of the story are predictable, even if some of the details are harder to anticipate. And while Conor’s team stands out a little more due to the boisterous personalities of the kids, they are still defined by their role in the story rather than the other way around.
Give Hardball a shot when you are in the mood for a drama about redemption, teamwork, and personal growth. The serious tone of the story will not suit every viewer, and the story is a little too formulaic to stand out. But solid craftsmanship, likable characters, and a couple of emotional moments make it a worthwhile pick for anyone interested.
For a more comprehensive look into the world of sports gambling, try Two for the Money. For a darker story about a man with a gambling addiction, try Uncut Gems. For a drama about a man who changes his ways to support a child, try Hard Surfaces.
[6.4 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0180734/). I give it a 6.5 for basic but effective drama.