I'm in a mixed marriage, and my wife the Christian, lost interest in the movie despite to the strong religious overtones. As a Jew, I was fascinated by the use of religious values to help cure addictions; it's a strong and powerful message. “Home Run” is the heartfelt and deeply religious story of a baseball star’s struggle with alcoholism and the Christian faith-based recovery group that gets him through.
The music was fitting to the scenes and really set the mood. The movie presented a believable story which was easy to follow and had you hoping that a happy ending was possible. All in all the movie was very good and professional. Great to see a movie with a positive message which shows Christianity in a positive light.
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The guy was a jerk, just like that Coach Pejersky managing the Little League team against the Omulkgee Bulldogs. The picture demonstrated what passes for often seen behavior at ball games that should be played for fun, but often turns into a spectacle because of the parents and not the players. It's rewarding at times to watch a picture in which no major celebrity appears so the focus can remain on the principals who try to overcome the obstacles in their life and become a better person. Some will find the overt mention of God and faith to be overbearing, though I'm fairly sure there are real life situations that rely on the kind of rehabilitation experienced by Cory and other members of a spiritual group like Celebration Recovery. The film has it's share of baseball related scenes, and Cory's approach to coaching his team's youngsters can be well appreciated in direct counterpoint to his egotistical behavior as a major league ball player.
The heart of grace-filled Christianity is revealed as he works through the steps and principles of the program called "Celebrate Recovery". We discover, in this program, a wide gamut of character studies that uncover many of the frailties of the human condition. Unexpectedly, in the midst of the pain and turmoil of his new life, a former love interest offers the possibility of rekindling his passion for romance.
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I did find the opposing traits in his character to be somewhat unbelievable, but the spirit of the picture carries through for a final reconciliation and recovery of Cory's career. See the film more for it's message than for it's baseball theme, as the home run aspect of the title is ancillary. "Nothing great happens when you hold back." Cory Brand is the best baseball player in the country. He has a huge following and is the heart and soul of his team. After throwing a tantrum during a game he is suspended and sent back to his hometown for rehab. While there in order to keep his image clean he is also to coach the local little league team.
Scott Elrod does a solid performance as the troubled star baseball player. Vivica A Fox lights up the screen as the player's manager. Dorian Brown is charming as the player's ex-girlfriend. And the entire cast work together with good chemistry to convey an important message of forgiveness and redemption. I was moved by the honesty of this film and the true solutions offered. Suffice to say, this is a simple 'Doc Hollywood' style movie about a major league baseball star coming back to his hometown to make amends for his errant ways by coaching the local little league team.
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He co-coaches with his ex girlfriend and mother of his illegitimate son, who is also on the team. There is a lot of religious reflection and depiction of people who are addicted to sex, drugs, and-or have been abused in someway. The plot is nothing new and a bit weak, even for a Christian movie. The performance by the lead actor "Scott Elrod" makes this movie worth watching.
Really, there's nothing much else to say except I do indeed recommend Home Run if you go for this sort of thing. In this movie the main character, Cory Brand, played by Scott Elrod, who is an all-star baseball hero, is suspended from his major league position when he has an accident involving alcohol. He is forced to undergo a 12 step program and convinced into coaching his hometown baseball team by his agent played by Vivica A. Fox. The interplay of their robust and tension-filled relationship offers many opportunities for humor. I heard about the movie on a Christian radio program.
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The film makers by not mentioning the whole tone of the film in trailers or tag line effectively lied and I feel the only reason they did this was an attempt by the marketing people to get a bigger audience. Obviously this is a flawed approach as most people do more research that I did this time hence the empty cinema and appallingly poor box office. It is a shame because the acting was not bad and had it not been for the clumsy attempt to force a religious message down the Audience's throat it could have been enjoyable. I'm not sure why people didn't believe this was a baseball movie, with the constant flashbacks to the daemons of his fathers voice "haunting" him throughout the movie.
His addiction to alcohol, anger management issues and lack of responsibility make him virtually unemployable...so far, so predictable. I made the mistake of not looking at a review before going to see this film. Had seen the trailer in the cinema a few weeks ago and thought my son would like it as it seemed just a simple feel good film. First clue should have been when we were the only people in the cinema. If you are a devout Christian you could like this but otherwise it will probably make you feel a mixture of awkward embarrassment and as if you have been misled. A very crude attempt to peddle the idea that all you need to do is embrace religion to get you over all your problems.
You will continue to ponder its impact on your own thinking. In this unheard of town out in the middle of the western plains, where he grew up, Cory revisits his youth and the past he left behind on the rise to stardom. This humbling experience brings out new facets to his character as he struggles with the reality of the consequences of the decisions of his past that he cannot escape. I guess the folks I would want to see this movie aren't the addicts, but those who have an addict in their life.
The chemistry between him and Dorian Brown and Charles Wyson is very pleasant to watch. This movie IS about how believing in God and religion can fix all problems. This movie is made by hallmark and I have to say the whole thing does come off as somewhat of an apology card. They should have made a card apologizing for wasting two hours of my life. Predictable writing of a predictable plot with one dimensional characters. I too, like most of the actors in the 12 step meetings could feel myself changing and not in a good way.
There were a few spots in the film where I was close to tears, but I enjoy a good story about man triumphing over evil, even if that evil is internal to himself. But, The production values were all pretty solid. If you have ever struggled with an abusive situation in your life, either as a by-stander, an addict, an abuser, a victim, or if you know some who has, this movie is very worthwhile. I highly recommend it because we all encounter this in our life at one point or another. It could be because of where I am spiritually, but unlike so many "Christian" films this one didn't seem heavy on preaching Christ.
It’s a credit to Elrod that he handles all the curveballs he’s thrown in “Home Run” with some style. This sports drama follows a baseball star with a substance abuse problem forced to coach a youth team, in theaters April 19th. As someone who has dealt with these exact issues it blew me away.
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There are strongly developed characters to root for and the plot reveals truths about the human condition and the falsehoods we often settle for. It gives hope to anyone to whom the painful circumstances in their own childhood have kept them in fear, unable to live their life to the fullest. He returns to his home town and helps coach a little league team.
Elrod does fine work as such a trouble character in the film, and with him being in frame with almost every shot in the film, he is left to do a great deal of work here, most of which he handles with a convincing persona. To further acknowledge the film's crew, however, the writers do a magnificent job at making sure the film doesn't veer off into sappy monologues or ridiculous, religious sloganeering that manifests as crucial and breakthrough insight. Instead, they're much more preoccupied with illustrating Cory's progress as a human being and a person, rather than cheapening it to fit some sort of ill-conceived faith formula. Vivica Fox also puts in a very strong performance as the lead character's agent , so was believable in her role.
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