[Podcast Review] ‘ROOKIE OF THE YEAR’ doesn’t deserve the critical bench after 30 years. It’s an ace family sports movie!

Preston Barta // Features Editor

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR (1993)

Rated PG, 103 minutes.
Director: Daniel Stern
Cast: Thomas Ian Nicholas, Gary Busey, Amy Morton, Albert Hall, Dan Hedaya, Bruce Altman, Eddie Bracken, Robert Hy Gorman, Patrick LaBrecque, Colombe Jacobsen-Derstine and Daniel Stern

Baseball fans love Daniel Stern’s 1993 family sports movie Rookie of the Year, starring Thomas Ian Nicholas and Gary Busey. You’ll hear it constantly quoted in dugouts, on the field and in the stands because, quite simply, it’s 100 percent joy from start to finish. How it has sat on the critical bench after 30 years makes little-to-no sense. It’s sincere, funny and lesson-filled.

The story centers on a freak accident that leaves 12-year-old Little Leaguer Henry Rowengartner (Thomas Ian Nicholas) with an arm fit for Superman. He can throw extremely powerful and accurate fastballs, and it catches the Chicago Cubs’ attention — so much so that the pro-ball team signs the middle school kid to a contract. Goodbye, boat rides and friend hangouts, and hello, steak dinners on airplanes and multi-thousand-dollar photo sessions. In other words, farewell to youth and growing up.

Fortunately, young Henry has aging pitcher Chet “Rocket” Stedman (Busey) to keep him centered, pitching coach Brickma (Stern) to keep him young, and his mother (Amy Morton) to keep his heart beating strong and passionate. There’s a lot of temptation out there, but hopefully, Henry sticks with the right people and doesn’t get swept up into the craziness of fame.

On a recent episode of the Fear and Loathing in Cinema Podcast, Bryan Kluger (of High-Def Digest), Dan Moran (Boomstick Comics) and I discuss Rookie of the Year in great detail, focusing on the personalities of the characters, the incredible small moments, and how the film deserves a second look.

So, pull up a chair and listen below!