The Natural - (8/10)

[The Delfonics]

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******REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*****

The Natural- (8/10)
Info: (1984) R, Robert Redford, Robert Duvall, Glen Close
Genre: Drama
Comments: The Natural is a tale about a middle aged man who comes out of nowhere to play baseball for a terrible baseball team. With a mysterious past he tries to lead this team to the World Series. It's a great sports fantasy movie that is about much more than the sport. Much like Redfords directed project, Legend of Bagger Vance, The Natural brings out a sense of hope from an underdog. After the movie ended I couldn't help but question the constant ignoring of highly emotional events. When his dad dies we quickly move to him making his own bat. Then after he is shot, we fastforward 16 years and even then we dont get much of an explanation for why he is shot. The one that seemed the oddest was how he got his job. A popular right-fielder, played by Micheal Madsen, dies by running through the wall as he was chasing after a fly ball. The next scene is of a memorial for him, then he forgotten and never mentioned again in the movie. I found this rather sad. Also how does the blood go through the uniform? But at that point I quickly realized after the final swing of the bat that the movies message perhaps carried much further. We live with these events in our lives only to move on and if we are passionate enough about something, no distraction can let us down. Maybe that wasn't the intent. Perhaps the director just wanted us to think that it was the Roy Hobbes (Redfords character) show and that not much else mattered. I like the previous theory. The movie takes you through a lot and only at the end when everything comes together does one truely appreciate what is there.

If you liked The Natural I suggest watching The Legend of Bagger Vance (9/10).

[Kavan]

I first saw this movie in my high school psych class and the teacher said that people who liked it watched it over and over again. I can say for me that's absolutely true.

A must see for anyone who likes good baseball flicks, allegory or who enjoys Robert Redford, The Natural is the story of a once potentially great baseball player derailed and then reappearing years later to get a second chance.

Roy Hobbes was a player of great brilliance who vanished suddenly then reappears far past the typical playing age his talents undiminished. The early section of the film details his attempts to return to the game versus the corrupt activities of others.

When the flick focuses on Redford and the team it soars. The team emerges as a fun, interesting unit. Utility players Wilford Brimley and Richard Farnsworth do an excellent job with limited material. Likewise Robert Duvall has little to do, but does it well.

The love story between Redford and Close is less well handled. She is presented early in the film as his teen sweetheart, his one true love (truthfully both Redford and Close appear far to old for this section). Yet later when she reappears the relationship is poorly developed. Close' character is more symbolic, the good girl, than a real viable character.

Redford though does an excellent job with Roy. His laid back style works perfectly for a character who at times refuses to express much. He also injects a sincerity and depth into Roy that makes the character work.

The film however does have some major limitations. I didn't mind the arc of his dad dying, him carving his bat and leaving home. But I did mind the lack of follow up. Glen Close is supposed to be his true love but aside from one brief early scene we get little insight into their feelings. Also the good versus bad allegory seemed at times a little to thick and mishandled. Ebert made a relevant point in his review of saying when the team is doing well they are brilliant players, when they stink they make near amateurish mistakes, practically falling over the ball.

Overall though this an fine film. 7/10

[ilovemovies]

It's been awhile since I've seen this movie (infact I saw it in high school too only in my english class) but I remember loving it. Robert Redford was great and it was just a great comback story.

* * * 1/2

8.5/10

Grade: A

[Subotai]

Levinson crafted a beautiful, beautiful film but it should be said that Malamud hated this version of his book. Absolutely hated it. It has almost nothing to do with the original story. That said, it is wonderful to look at. The production designer did a wonderful job. However, it has really little or nothing to do with the true game of baseball. It is a fable.

Redford is much more believable as a player than Costner.

As a baseball movie: 4/10 (Bang the Drum Slowly gets 8.5)
As a film in itself: 7.5/10