Mr. Baseball

MR. BASEBALL is a film of paradoxes. Written and filmed as a "light, sports comedy" it truly has a heartwarming core as human and universal as some of Capra's finest. At the plot level, you have the paradox of baseball, a fine old American game, as it is played in Japan - turned around, with American values cast off and Japanese values imprinted upon the game. (Some of the superficial "sports comedy" results from Jack's uncomprehending disbelief at how "basa-boru" is played in Japan.) You also have a lead character who's presented as an over-the-hill, aging baseball star, but who is actually quite immature - pro ball allowed him to postpone growing up. And you have a lead character who is rudely resistant to the changes in his life that are being forced upon him, refusing to accept the curveball that life has given him, in the midst of a new country, a new manager, a new team, and a new girlfriend, who have all welcomed him and try to accept him. Sound like heavy stuff? Not really. It's a charming "clash of cultures" comedy that takes place on the national, sports, romantic, and professional levels. But if you watch it sensitively enough, you will also find a great story about a man who has to abandon his immaturity and grow up way too late in life (causing some amount of personal pain), and finds success in places he never expected it. I love the story, but I also have great respect for Selleck's performance; he bares his tush (literally) to portray an ugly American, insulting people and throwing tantrums in public, then lets us inside this character to understand his dismay. It also doesn't hurt if you're a big fan of Takakura Ken like I am. MR. BASEBALL is a surprising "loss of innocence" tale.

You have to have lived in Japan for awhile to enjoy the beauty of this movie! I lived on Okinawa for over 2 years, and northern Honshu for 4. Believe it or not, what you see paints a very good and accurate picture of contrasting east/west mentalities, both from a sports as well as personal relationships perspective. A funny, funny, and heartwarming movie that deserves better than Americans viewing it can ever judge. 8+ out of 10!

Jack Elliot (Tom Selleck), former World Series MVP for the New York Yankees, is traded to the Chunichi (Nagoya) Dragons of Japan. Although Elliot is on the downside of his career, he has not lost all of his playing skills. Now the trade doesn't stir well with the drinking, smoking, and womanizing egomaniac. Knowing little about Japanese culture, cuisine, and mannerisms, the gaijin (foreign) Elliot's awful attitudes form the basic plot of this not unlikeable movie. You just know that the American will quickly butt heads with unflappable Dragon manager Uchiyama (Ken Takakura). Meanwhile, as athletes attract attractive woman, Hiroko Uchiyama (Aya Takanashi) will become Elliot's love interest. But Hiroko, who is no bimbo, is an advertising professional who makes commercials for Japanese television. So can the love interest last?

Along the way Elliot would do well to heed the advice of new Dragon teammate Max "Hammer" Dubois (Dennis Haysbert), not a Frenchmen but an African-American. Dubois, earlier traded to the Dragons, had the gumption to learn Japanese ways and some of the language. Fitting in as well as he can, Dubois is resigned to his challenging situation. Conversely, as Elliot is green in Japan, he is accompanied by an interpreter, Yoji Nishimura (Toshi Shioya), who is wise enough to clean up the American's sardonic comments for the Japanese press. Overall, the movie does well in depicting the Japanese sports culture: manager-player interaction, the fanfare of the large crowds (which appear genuine), umpire esteem, corporate pressure on the managers, and the voracious sports media. Also note the importance placed on saving face, which means that certain on-field events are sometimes compromised. The climax involves the big game between the Dragons and their traditional rivals who always seem to beat them, the Yomiuri Giants. Will Elliot find redemption? Watch and find out!

PS: Know that the Japanese certainly love their baseball, and have played it a long time. The sport was introduced in Japan in the late 19th century! In 1934 Manager Connie Mack, Babe Ruth (called "Beibu Rusu"), Lou Gehrig, Charlie Gehringer, Jimmie Foxx, OSS spy Moe Berg, and other Major League Baseball all-stars visited and were greeted by huge and enthusiastic crowds.

it's a silly movie. ridiculous jokes abound. but for some reason, i can't help but like jack elliot, nor can i help but enjoying his misadventures in japanese baseball. yes, it's a cheesy love story, and a cheesy inspirational sports story, but it's more than that: it's a story full of ridiculous and funny jokes. from tall men walking through too-small doors to inaccurate translators, this movie has it all for the average comedy fan. don't bother bringing your brain (to be cliche), but be prepared to be taken to the pit of ultimate darkness. i've seen this movie over 50 times.

I liked this movie, not because Tom Selleck was in it, but because it was a good story about baseball and it also had a semi-over dramatized view of some of the issues that a BASEBALL player coming to the end of their time in Major League sports must face. I also greatly enjoyed the cultural differences in American and Japanese baseball and the small facts on how the games are played differently.

Overall, it is a good movie to watch on Cable TV or rent on a cold winter's night and watch about the "Dog Day's" of summer and know that spring training is only a few months away. A good movie for a baseball fan as well as a good "DATE" movie … Trust me on that one! *Wink*