Million Dollar Arm Review
Whether you are a die hard baseball fan or just a casual observer who enjoys a good game, Million Dollar Arm appeals to both groups. Opening today is Million Dollar Arm, a movie based upon a true story.
When a struggling agent loses his biggest possibility to finally set his company in a positive direction he must find a way to be innovative and think outside the box.
On a long shot, he travels to India to find the next stars to try out for a Major League Baseball team, much like America’s Got Talent.
Traveling through India really showcases the difference in lifestyles for those who live in America and those who live in India and provides an emotional journey too as the families of the players say goodbye on the quest for one million dollars. There are subtitles in much of the film, as people from India speak their native language.
What ends up being the biggest gamble of his life with all of his money and hope riding on two cricket players may cost him everything he loves. Where he ends up depends upon him, not anyone else.
Although this is a drama, there are humorous moments, particularly by Alan Arkin who has the ability to make audiences laugh out loud without saying even a word. Ray sleeps through most of the movie but has the uncanny ability to know a fast pitch just by hearing it. JB Bernstein usually has a cell phone in his hand and even if you aren’t a big fan of baseball, Jon Hamm certainly makes the game more fun to watch. Bill Paxton was a welcomed addition providing wise advice on coaching players. Lake Bell plays the smart and beautiful doctor renting a house from JB Bernstein whose role is quietly instrumental in changing the course of JB Bernstei’s life.
It was very interesting to see a heavy focus on the Tempe, Arizona area since that is my hometown and I never knew how much of an influence one city had on the future of baseball.
Since this movie is based upon a true story, seeing videos and pictures of the real men behind the story completed the story.
Million Dollar Arm is a movie that provides an inspiring story about finding dreams and what family really means.
Rated PG for mild language and some suggestive content. Parental warning: There are three references to sex, which one actually says the word, one alludes to spending the night together, and one entire scene discussing what base they got to.
Million Dollar Arm | Facebook | Twitter | #MillionDollarArm
Based on a true story, sports agent JB Bernstein (Jon Hamm) finds that business has changed and things aren’t going well for his career. In a last ditch effort to save his livelihood he concocts a scheme to find baseball’s next great pitching ace. Hoping to find a young cricket pitcher he can turn into a major league baseball star, JB travels to India to produce a reality show competition called “The Million Dollar Arm.” With the help of cantankerous but eagle-eyed retired baseball scout Ray Poitevint (Alan Arkin), he discovers Dinesh (played by Madhur Mittal from “Slumdog Millionaire”) and Rinku (played by Suraj Sharma from “Life of Pi”), two 18-year-old boys who have no idea about playing baseball, yet have a knack for throwing a fastball. Hoping to sign them to major league contracts and make a quick buck, JB brings the boys home to America to train. While the Americans are definitely out of their element in India, the boys, who have never left their rural villages, are equally challenged when they come to the States. As the boys learn the finer points of baseball, JB, with the help of his charming friend Brenda (Lake Bell), learns valuable life lessons about teamwork, commitment and what it means to be a family.
Photography by Walt Disney Studios. Used with permission.
Media tickets to an advanced screening were provided to facilitate the Million Dollar Arm review.
