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| Movie Review: Sugar Alternate Title: The Impossible Dream
Story: What is it about movies
and baseball? There have been a slew of terrific films about the sport
and even people like me, who have no interest in sports at all, enjoy
the films. You might as well add this fine baseball film to your list
of well done baseball movies. Perhaps the fact that the film also deals
with culture clashes, race, the immigrant experience and dreams gone
awry makes it the enjoyable film that it ultimately becomes. It was sensitively written and directed by Anna
Boden and Ryan Fleck (Half Nelson).
From the opening shots in the Dominican Republic you are hooked. 19
year old Miguel Santos, aka Sugar, has dreams of hitting the big leagues.
Sugar gets an opportunity to play in the minor league and gets sent
to Iowa. Talk about a fish out of water. How Sugar deals with his host
family, his lack of English, his injuries, his ups and his downs are
the first two-thirds of the film. One of the reasons I liked the films
so much is that it does not follow the formulaic baseball film. The
final third of the film delivers twists and turns that are both sad,
realistic and hopeful. If you like films with heart, check out this
one. It is sweet, like Sugar. Watch the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU2nT9ZdkZg Acting: Algenis Pérez Soto (Miguel Santos,
also known as Azúcar), was wonderful. He has a presence that
lights up the screen. The entire ensemble cast worked well, including,
Rayniel Rufino (Jorge Ramírez), Andre
Holland (Brad Johnson), Michael Gaston (Stu
Sutton), Jaime Tirelli (Osvaldo), José
Rijo (Alvarez), Ellary Porterfield (Anne Higgins)
and Ann Whitney (Helen Higgins).
Predilection: None
Critters: Street dogs, birds and livestock.
Food: French toast has a big role. Scrambled eggs
has a small part too. Sex Spectrum: Some quickies.
Soundtrack: A delightful toe tapping track.
Opening Titles: An introduction to the character
precedes the title.
Theater Audience: Eight guys and me.
Drift Factor: Just as I was getting a bit tired of
the minor leagues the plot twists began. Predictability Level: I was surprised.
Tissue Usage: 0
Oscar Worthy: No
Big Screen or Rental: There have been umpteen films
about baseball. Here are a few of my favorites: Bad News Bears,
Bang the Drum Slowly, Bull Durham, Cobb, Damn Yankees, Eight Men Out,
Fear Strikes Out, Field of Dreams, The Jackie Robinson Story, A League
of Their Own, and my very favorite, The Natural.
Length: Under two hours
LOBO HOWLS: 7.5
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