O Rei do Jogo

Out of the countless baseball movies made, I can't think of one that I didn't like. Mr. 3000 isn't one of the greatest movies ever made. It isn't even one of the greatest baseball movies ever made. However, I did find it entertaining and liked it regardless. It was better than I first thought it would be. Bernie Mac was funny, although I've seen him funnier, as was his team, in a Major League sort of way.

I always find myself captivated by the baseball scenes. Something about the "will to win" plot of just about all sports movies is what I can't get enough of. This movie was no different.

If you liked the Major League series, Mr. Baseball, *61, Babe, Bull Durham, Field Of Dreams, The Natural or even Angels In The Outfield, A League Of Their Own, The Fan and The Naked Gun (The baseball scenes made the movie as funny as it was), then there's no doubt you'll like Mr. 3000 as well. I give 8 of 10 stars.

After seeing the trailers, you hope for so much and hope that all the funny stuff isn't just in the trailer and that it will be funny. Then you hope you haven't over-shot it and get disappointed. This movie delivers! And is funnier than you will think, even from the premise and the trailers. Bernie Mac is perfect in this role; almost to the point where you think it may be type-casting...he's that good. The entire supporting cast is amazing too, and that is rare in a comedy. It's one that you have to watch a couple of times because you will miss bits and pieces in the theater as the laughter rolls over a few choice lines. The way it was shot and some of the surprises (like having some of the crew from the Best Damn Sports Show Period on the couch), also kept you into it. My expectations, although a bit high, were easily met and surpassed by this witty and wonderful movie. Oh, and the baseball references. There were enough to keep baseball enthusiasts interested, but not too many to go over the heads of most viewers. I had a good time watching it. That's rare in movies.

This is an excellent movie because it delivers on the promise of its marketing: you get the story of a 47 year-old former hitting star of the Milwaukee Brewers (Bernie Mac as Stan Ross), who retired nine years earlier with exactly 3,000 hits, believing that to be his ticket to the hall of fame, and milking the "Mr. 3000" persona for all it's worth commercially. It is very common in real life for former athletes to become car dealers and high-end stockbrokers, selling expensive things to rich people who want a little nostalgia as an extra, and if you check the end of "Miracle" you'll find many former members of the 1980 gold medal squad working in finance or banking.

The last-place Brewers are desperate for attendance (at least their owner, played by Chris Noth, is), and they lure Stan back to the ballpark to retire his number. While compiling a list of each of his 3,000 hits, it is learned that three of the hits were counted twice and he only has 2,997 hits, thus cancelling his ticket to Cooperstown. Stan will have none of this, and returns to the Brewers, whose owner figures he'll be a welcome distraction from the standings. Ross faces an uphill battle from the team he publicly derided prior to his return, even finding himself on the receiving end of a seemingly endless tirade of trash talk from a mascot dressed as a BRATWURST. The movie even paid an homage to the "sausage races" that occur in Milwaukee during the seventh inning stretch (a race between four mascots in various sausage uniforms).

The usual suspects (ESPN, etc.) make cameos, and Stan's on-again, off-again love interest (an ESPN reporter played by Angela Bassett) enjoys his company but finds him unsuitable for commitment to anything but his mirror. Stan has a full life and several close friends who accept his narcissism as part of the package that drew the fans to the ballpark all those years. The fans seem willing to forgive Stan everything because he came through for the team all those years, and even empathize with his plight to recapture his primary glory in life, taken from him through a mathematical error not even his. Paul Sorvino manages his best Earl Weaver impersonation as manager Gus Panas, but I was never a fan of that shtick when Earl did it.

The film has no real bad guy (other than Stan's ego), but they add an "It's A Wonderful Life" element to the film in the form of T. Rex Pennebaker (sp?), the brash young slugger you build championship teams around. T. Rex is a lot like Stan used to be, thus giving Stan pause, for like Stan used to, T. Rex walks the walk as he talks the talk. To his credit, T. Rex gives his all even for a last-place team, even if it's only to boost his stats.

Stan, who left the Brewers in a pennant race nine years ago, now tries to be a team player as he pursues the elusive three hits. He tries to show he has matured and loves the game, and assumes a mentoring role for a talented yet very undisciplined, young team, but the "old Stan" does not go away quietly, and in a way that's good, because for as egotistical as Stan is made out to be, it is obvious that he loves people, the spotlight, and genuinely wants to be liked. He just assumes that everyone is out for themselves the way he is out for himself.

If you tried to write the ending to this film, it wouldn't be surprising if you were not too far off from how they wrote this one. The movie doesn't even try to be unpredictable, and this is another strength, because there's really only one or two ways a movie like this can end.

I love movies and I love watching sports. Not surprisingly, I really enjoy sports movies. Good ones. This is a very good one.

Bernie Mac, as the ragingly ego maniacal baseball star Stan Ross, accomplishes the near impossible. He makes us despise his character, then pity him, and finally adore him. He is completely comfortable in the role, and commands the screen with almost shocking ease.

The movie doesn't go for a home run, and therein lies much of its strength. This isn't "The Natural." The director and writer are content to tell a straightforward but very entertaining story with a good message for athletes of all ages. "Mr. 3000" is funny and ultimately quite touching, and the ending is both surprising and fitting.

My kids enjoyed the movie as much as I did. So count this as three "thumbs up" for a Hollywood movie with a little bit of heart.

If you like baseball, here is a good film for you. Bernie Mac is perfect in the title role as a Brewers baseball player with an ego the size of Milwaukee who retires just after he thinks he gets his 3000th hit, which he assumes will make him a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame. Many years and no induction later, he learns that three of the hits did not count, and he returns to the game to get those three hits. Mac does a good job and actually fleshes out the character, as his return helps him learn more about being a team player. I really liked this film when I saw it.

*** out of ****