Movie Review: You Gotta Believe

     Every once in a while, I am surprised when a movie is ready to open at the end of the week, and I haven't heard much, or in some cases, haven't heard anything about it. Without getting into how film critiquing works in depth, I will give you a small example. I get about fifty emails a day, sometimes more from small movie studios to big advertising companies that have been hired to promote their films to the press. Not only that, but there are emails that go straight into my junk box or spam box, which adds another five to ten emails all dealing with film. Sometimes it's easy to overlook something, or where I have to go search my email for a specific film I do have on my radar. This movie is one I didn't hear about until this past Tuesday, (August 27th), and it didn't have an advance screening for it. The film is called You Gotta Believe.

    I am a big sports fan, and so any movie dealing with sports appeals to me, and my wife, Lindsey, is a huge fan of "Based on a True Story" movies. This film was both, and while it was a little cheesy at times, there was actually a nice little film that both my wife and I enjoyed for the most part. It stars Luke Wilson as a little league baseball coach, and his friend, played by Greg Kennear, who helps manage the team, but the team is terrible. 

    When the team is at their worst, a man from a little league baseball organization comes to the team's last practice and tells the manager of the team, (Greg Kennear) that they have to send in an all-star team to compete in a playoff series that leads to the Little League Baseball National Championship, and they are the last team that hasn't claimed a spot to play in, so the team makes it into the tournament by default.

    While these events are happening, we find the coach, (Luke Wilson), who has been coaching the team all season has a fainting spell and we learn that he has a brain tumor, and is going to have to go into treatment to fight his cancer. The problem with this, besides the cancer part, is his favorite thing is to watch his son play baseball, and with the tournament right around the corner, he tries his best to help coach, but has to take a backseat when he starts to get ill from the cancer treatments. The baseball team, especially the coach's son, practice really hard and rally around the coach, believing that he is the reason for their team strength. 

    That's all I will tell you. It's all in the trailer for the film, but this "Based on a True Story" film ended up going to some places where other "Based on a True Story" films go. Most of the time, the characters come out triumphant and win the day. Everything seems to work out in the main characters favor, with some minor stumbling blocks to get over, but you know they will win. This film keeps you guessing until the final minutes of the film play out. There are a lot of stumbling blocks for the characters to get over, and they aren't all that minor. 

    Luke Wilson always comes off playing a nice and softspoken family man in his most recent outings. Greg Kennear is also great in this role. The kids are funny. At times there is a little bit of The Sandlot in the film, and even has the actor who played Ham, (Patrick Renna), in The Sandlot, who plays the league's organizer for the tournament. The kids are funny, and have their charms, but the way they rally together to fight and stay in the playoffs by dedicating their performances for their sick coach is well acted.

    The film is rated PG, and only has maybe three bad words, usually one of the words you use under your breath when you step on a kid's Lego brick, but the film does have a little bit of a "have faith" message to it as well. 

    Like I said, the film can feel a little cheesy at times, but it mostly succeeds in its endeavors, and makes a great family movie with a good message and some unexpected moments. If you are a fan of both sports and the "Based on a True Story" movie fan, then this film will be something you will most likely enjoy.

    As the summer blockbuster films have all come and gone, fall films will be releasing soon, especially around October, but I will be back soon with other reviews leading up to the fall season over the next couple of weeks, so don't forget to check back in.