Hard Ball

Sometimes when a movie is released the ad campaign that the studio uses just doesn't hit the mark and the film is rejected by the audience because its not what they thought it was. Here I believe that is what happened to this movie, the adds were pitching this story as a real life Bad News Bears story when it was a whole lot more than that. Even though the storyline follows the same guide lines it has a lot more drama in it that shows the kind of life these boys had to put up with. With Keanu Reeves leading this young cast of ball players we're given a small glimpse into the infamous Cabrini Green housing projects in Chicago and how the prospect of playing Little League baseball gave them hope for the future.
When two time loser Connor O'Neill asks for money from a wealthy friend, he's coerced into coaching a Little League baseball team in order to pay off the debt and discovers through the team that there is more to life than money and gambling. With the strong performances from Reeves and Diane Lane the young boys that are on the ball field come across as honest and believable characters. One of the other things that comes across as honest is the situations that are going on around the Projects and the things that boys have to deal with on a daily basis, from the drugs to the torment to the killings everything seems realistic. With the comedy sprinkled in here and there, there is a lighter side to the story but it doesn't draw away from the seriousness of the story itself.
I think if this film had been described as a drama-comedy instead of a straight comedy then the audience wouldn't have been expecting one thing when they got another. Where this narrative is based on a true story its given a stronger sense of believability that at times is overpowering when the situations go to the extreme. I was very happy with this film, from Reeves showing how much of an actor he's matured into to the subtle comedy that wasn't to overpowering of the heartwarming drama that will stay with you after the movie is over.