Today’s quick review: The Natural. Roy Hobbs (Robert Redford) is a country boy with a talent for baseball. Leaving behind his sweetheart Iris (Glenn Close), he travels to Chicago to try out for the Cubs. But after one bad choice, he loses his shot at the majors and twelve years of his life. Now in his thirties, Roy gets another chance at his dream when he’s signed on to play for the New York Knights, a team in the middle of a losing season.
The Natural is a sports drama about a baseball player trying to make up for lost time. Robert Redford stars as Roy Hobbs, whose knack for the game could have made him a legend. In spite of a decade away from the sport, Hobbs’ natural talent and love for baseball give the Knights a shot at the pennant. The Natural is an inspiring story about choices, integrity, and determination. Its solid craftsmanship is enough to make it a simple but powerful watch.
The Natural has the best qualities of a tall tale, small flourishes that make Roy’s story just a little larger than life. The origin of Roy’s bat, his feats of baseball prowess, and his lucky and unlucky streaks all lend a mythic quality to his story. At the same time, The Natural never steps over the line into fantasy. The drama is grounded in Roy’s choices on and off the field, and his victories are as much moral and personal as they are professional.
There are a few parts of The Natural that don’t work as well as others, but they do not detract much from its strengths. The beats of the story are a little strange, especially surrounding Roy’s twelve-year absence from the sport. The actual games Roy plays in are abridged; the film hardly ever follows a game from start to finish. And while the emotional moments will move more romantic viewers, cynics may find them to be overblown.
The Natural is a great choice for anyone in the mood for the uplifting story of a sports comeback. Solid acting, grounded drama, and a few extra touches to make the story feel larger than life are all The Natural needs to deliver on its promise. Not everyone will enjoy its particular flavor of drama, but its raw quality and emotional payoff make it well worth a watch for anyone interested.
For a sports movie that hits similar emotional beats, try Chariots of Fire. For an adventure with some of the same spirit, try Secondhand Lions. For a romantic drama that goes farther with the theme of life choices and regret, try The Notebook or The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. For a baseball comedy, try Major League.
7.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for an earnest story with a lot of heart.