Today’s Prayer Focus
MOVIE REVIEW

Everyone’s Hero

Reviewed by: Rosemarie Ute Hoffman
CONTRIBUTOR

Moral Rating: Better than Average
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: Kids Family
Genre: Animation Sports Adventure
Length: 1 hr. 30 min.
Year of Release: 2006
USA Release: September 15, 2006 (wide)
Copyright, Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation Copyright, Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation Copyright, Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation Copyright, Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation Copyright, Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation Copyright, Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation Copyright, Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation Copyright, Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation Copyright, Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation Copyright, Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation
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Copyright, Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation
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Featuring Jake T. Austin, Brian Dennehy, Whoopi GoldbergWhoopi Goldberg, William H. Macy, Raven Symone, Rob Reiner, Dave Reeve, Mandy Patinkin, Robert Wagner
Director Colin Brady, Christopher Reeve, Dan St. Pierre
Producer Morris Berger, Janet Healy, Igor Khait, Dana Reeve, Ron Tippe
Distributor
Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. Trademark logo.
20th Century Studios
, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Studios, a division of The Walt Disney Company

“What if you had one chance to be a hero? Would you take it? Or play it safe?”

“Everyone’s Hero” is a ring up—an out made when three strikes are charged against the batter! Although the animation is mediocre, the movie’s first strike is the error of inserting more than one song. Are they pitching this flick to be a musical? Second strike, it is missing the thrill baseball brings to America’s favorite pastime. The last strike is Mr. Cross (voice unknown, my guess: …Robin Williams), the Chicago Cubs manager who is all fired up and full of rage. His modus operandi is to upset Babe Ruth’s winning streak by scheming to steal his lucky bat Darlin’.

Every kid can relate to the young hero Yankee Irving (voice of Jake T. Austin)—a boy filled with dreams of playing in the majors. Yet, he is stuck in reality trying to get a hit! His adventure to recover and return Darlin’ to Babe Ruth is fueled with the hope of restoring his father’s honor. An adventure filled to the brim with train hopping and meeting up with unfamiliar characters—a confident young girl, Marti (voice of Raven), a few bums, and finally meeting the “Sultan of Swats,” Babe Ruth (voice of Brian Dennehy) in a Chicago hotel. Along the way, Yankee learns the fundamental rules of baseball and thus is ready for his big debut in the 1932 World Series.

Yankee’s story unfolds in a sandlot among New York City apartment buildings during the Great Depression. There the neighborhood kids incessantly ridicule him, “Looser! You stink!” His self-esteem is next to none after being picked last for the team and striking out, and then feeling the brunt of his father being fired from his janitorial position at Yankee Stadium because of Babe Ruth’s stolen bat. In a fit of despair, Yankee tares down his posters and pennants. It is then that Yankee’s future begins to turn around. He discovers that the lost baseball he found at the sandlot is magical—only he can hear it talking. Together they decide to recover Babe Ruth’s stolen bat.

Yankee and Screwie (voice of Rob Reiner), the talking lost foul ball, do manage to retrieve the stolen bat from Lefty Maginnis (voice of William H. Macy), the pitcher of the Chicago Cubs. Darlin’, Babe Ruth’s bat (voice of Whoopi GoldbergWhoopi Goldberg) is magical as well and is at constant odds with Screwie. Their insults are continuous with tactless talk, such as, “Burn the bat! Rotten 2x4! Leather face! Break out my whoopin’ stick! Swollen in the head! Need stitches?” However, in the end, the two do find a commonality—their love of playing the game!

Yankee’s loving parents (voices of Mandy Patinkin and Dana Reeve) instill in him that he should never give up and always keep on swinging! Just as Christopher and Dana Reeve continue to be everyone’s hero—encouraging many who are facing adversity to go forward.

The film’s originating director and executive producer, Christopher Reeve, inspired the theme of persevering against all odds. His life and legacy are a tribute to many who are up at bat, when it is the bottom of the ninth with two outs, with the hope of getting a hit—a miracle!

“What I do is based on powers we all have inside us; the ability to endure; the ability to love, to carry on, to make the best of what we have—and you don’t have to be a ‘Superman’ to do it.”—Christopher Reeve

“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Galatians 6:9). While we wait for our miracle in this lifetime, we should be willing to contribute and benefit humanity with our talents and gifts no matter our circumstances, which is agreeable to God and pleasing in His sight. Giving of ourselves from the purest place of Christ’s strength is a miracle that many overlook. It is a great gift to share with othersthe hope of life while they persevere here on Earth, reaping a harvest for all eternity—salvation—for in their season, in God’s timing, their fruits will be seen and enjoyed!

Violence: Mild / Profanity: None / Sex/Nudity: None

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.


Viewer CommentsSend your comments
Positive
Positive—This was a great movie. One of my favorites. …It is kid friendly.
My Ratings: Excellent! / 5
Tyler, age 23
Comments from young people
Positive—I went to this movie with my Mom and little brother (he’s 10), and we were laughing so hard that my brother almost choked. It was really funny and left us with a great moral of perseverance: “Keep on swingin.” I loved that there wasn’t anything extremely offensive, though the “how long have you been taking trombone lessons” line might offend some people, but for me, I give this movie an A+.
My Ratings: Good / 4
Lorelei, age 13
Positive—This was a really cute movie! I just saw this movie with a friend, and her and I both agree this was a pretty good movie that had a nice message to it (“don’t ever give up, just go up there and keep swingin”). There was no swearing or anything like that. It was just a good, clean, cute, and innocent movie. I thought the animation was great, everything looked real! There are only a few minor scenes that may make kids feel a little uneasy, but it shouldn’t scare them a lot. I really did like this movie, and I really felt like it was worth my money and time to go see. …It wasn’t some dumb little kid’s movie that is completely dull and predictable. It was really good! …I liked it so much I plan on taking my sister to go see it soon. …
My Ratings: Excellent! / 5
Sarah, age 16
Positive—This is a movie that is great for a family night. It has excellent morals and kid friendly adventure. The only thing that was not very moral was when Yankee (the boy) runs away from home, even if he had good intentions its still wrong. But overall, it was a good movie!
My Ratings: Excellent! / 4
Ashley, age 13