08-06-07 A League of Their Own (1992)

Seen: June 7th, 2008 (ish)
Format: Broadcast - HDNMV - HDNet Movies
Rating: 7

I'd always heard that this was a good film. But it has Madonna in it. I just couldn't believe the two could co-exist.

And I'm kinda right.

The Material Girl may be the lowlight of the entire film. Sure, she "acts" like a hussy and dances up a storm, but are we really to believe that she's a competent, much less exceptional ball player? Color me skeptical.

With that out of the way, I've got to admit that I enjoyed all the rest of it. I enjoyed the whole gender-bias thing. I enjoyed the crusty baseball veterans forced to adapt to a womens' game. I enjoyed the battle of women wanting to be recognized for their prowess, but needing to play up, in some measure, their sexuality. It's all good fun.

And there's some other interesting angles. Sibling rivalry. Attempted normalcy in wartime. Addiction as an escape from the effects of time and fame. The effects from actively contributing and what happens "after"

There's a lot going on here, but somehow it all fits. Everything has it's place and time and though things are definitely carefully planned and place, nothing seems too contrived. The avoidance of the predictable ending seems to bear this out. There's some bits which are mildly unexpected, but not overly surprising.

Davis is solid, if a bit stolid. Hanks' role was a delightful surprise. He play well against type here. His attitude and reactions are unexpected and priceless. The mean streak he managees to generate is surprising. Lori Petty is actually very good, disappearing into her role. The rest of the cast is very good, the exceptions being Madonna and Jon Lovitz, who, God Bless Him, doesn't fit at all, but who's perfect for the role.

All in all, it's an engaging and watchable film. It's complete and whole, with ends tied up. It tells a sweet story that manages to vear away from the saccharine at appropriate moments. While it's no great masterwork, it's a good diversion from the day to day.

The Good: Performances and some playing against type
The Bad: Getting a Telegram
The Ugly: Rosie O'Donnell, what HAPPENED to you?