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Fraught with troubles? Strung out with tension? Jittery and fearful of God knows what? Slip into your nearest theatre playing The Rookie and kick back.
That's not to say you'll be sucked into anything deep. It's a nice film but, after a non sequitur about nuns, anyone with an IQ above 85 can predict the rest. Rookie's going to soothe your psyche, but not challenge your anything.
Young Jim Morris grows up in Big Lake, a West Texas oil town, where the ballfield is under the watchful eyes of St Rita - supposed to help you if your goals seem unattainable, I guess, but grown-up Jim (Dennis Quaid) is still a Texas mile from his goal well into adulthood. That goal seems to be getting to pitch baseball with the big leagues, but Jim, after a youth traipsing after his Navy dad (Brian Cox), seems stuck in Big Lake with his wife Lorri (Rachel Griffiths) and kids and the curmudgeonly dad.
Since this film seems to be entirely about baseball, let's get on with it. Jim, now working at the local high school, coaches the baseball team, whose young captain 'Wack' Campos (Jay Hernandez) is a sharp kid who gives Jim a run for his money. The team's doing terribly in the local league and Jim makes a pact with St. Rita - if the boys shape up and win the local competition, Jim'll try out to pitch with major league baseball.
Are you surprised when it all comes true? Are you surprised when Jim and his father finally admit they care about each other? Are you surprised when Lorri lets the whole family share in Jim's triumph? Are you surprised when your warm glow fades like Chinese food? If the answer is anywhere yes, your IQ report says "under 85."
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