A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
A film review by Chuck Dowling
Copyright 1997 Chuck Dowling
A League of Their Own (1992) **1/2 out of ***** - Cast: Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Madonna, Jon Lovitz, Rosie O'Donnell, Lori Petty, David Strathairn, Garry Marshall, Tea Leoni, Bill Pullman. Directed By: Penny Marshall. Running Time: 128 minutes.
Another example of a critical hit that just isn't that good. Hanks plays a drunken ex-baseball star who is given a job as the manager of one of the all-girls baseball teams developed during World War II.
The movie is basically about two baseball-playing sisters (Davis and Petty) who love each other but Petty also hates Davis because Davis is a big star and is stealing the spotlight away from Petty. So Petty bitches and whines and breaks things throughout the entire film and then ends up victorious in the end. What? Whining and complaining brings about glory and victory?
Another problem with the film is that Davis is given too much screen time and the rest of the cast is neglected. Hanks and Lovitz are outstanding, but given little to do. In the beginning of the film, a big deal is made about a plain-looking girl who can play the game really well. Then you really don't see her again. And then there's another girl who can't read. So you're thinking that during the film there should be some minor yet heartwarming scenes about teaching her to read, right? No, just one joke involving Madonna and a sex novel.
And how about that Madonna huh? She's finally found a role that she can play without difficulty. She's a slut. But, she's a slut with a heart! Throughout the film she keeps mentioning all the things she does with men. Then when the players are told that there will not be another season of women's baseball, she starts to cry hysterically saying that she won't go back to dancing in front of men. Then in the next scene she's off to town to pick up guys. Huh? It's ok to sleep with as many as possible but degrading to get paid just to dance for them?
Given all the talent involved with the film, it's a shame that it's simply mediocre at best.
-- Chuck Dowling Visit Chuck's Movie Reviews at http://users.southeast.net/~chuckd21/ Over 1,600 movies rated and/or reviewed! Movie news, film related links, and reader's reviews.
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