The Best Sports Movies #9: Angels In the Outfield

Angels in the outfield is a movie that quickly became a Disney classic, the minute it was made. It has all the great qualities that make a good Disney movie. From the feel-good atmosphere, to the child overcoming his fears, and even to the well placed humor that has become somewhat of a Disney trait itself. Angels in the Outfield came out in 1996, and brought in a cool $50 million to the people who made it. It stars Christopher Lloyd, Danny Glover, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The movie is a remake of a 1951 film of the same nature, but this one is far better my humble opinion.

The movie's plot revolves around 2 kids that have been through very rough lives up until this point. They are in yet another foster home, and the prospects of them getting back to their families is slim. Gordon-Levitt who plays Roger, has his Father leave him behind in an effort to pursue his own life without a child. As he walks out the door, his parting words are "We will be a family again when the California Angels win the pennant." Now at the time, the angels were the laughing-stock of the league, and there was absolutely no chance of the team recovering during this season. But, Roger makes a wish that night, and that wish is that the Angels win the pennant so that he can be with his Dad again.

Roger and his roommate, J.P., are huge baseball fans, and they end up getting tickets to see the Angels play a ballgame. As soon as the games gets started, Roger starts seeing Angels from heaven start to help out the Angels on the field. To his disbelief, the baseball Angels win the game, and it looks as though they have truly become a great team. So, he decides that he is going to tell everyone about it. The problem with that though, is that it turns out he is the only one that can see them.

Christopher Lloyd plays what can be deemed as the "head angel" of the group. These Angels do everything from helping the players hit, to making them run faster, and even to helping them throw the ball harder and faster. Danny Glover acts as the manager of the Angels, in one of his best roles to date. He can not understand why the kid (Roger) sees Angels, but instead considers him a good luck charm to the team, because they are doing so well when Roger is at the games. So, he is willing to go along with the kid as long as he is happy. These were roles that Lloyd and Glover were born to play. Although the plot of the movie may seem a little far-fetched, Lloyd plays a great angel, and Glover plays a great manager. He has the tenacity, and the drive that it takes to get upset at your players, while at the same time still supporting them, which makes him fun to watch.

With the Angels improving with every game, Glover sort of becomes the Father figure that the boys need. In this role, he also shines as well. Now, I consider this movie a really great one because of the acting, the story, and the fact that it can run a story without having violence or guns. These are two things that I can really admire in a movie. Also, as an added bonus, Tony Danza plays his best movie role to date. He plays a pitcher that has been having arm-troubles for a couple of years, and is deemed washed up. This is his last chance to shine as a player, or he will probably be forced into an early retirement. Watching him act in this role, made me give Danza much more credit than I had ever had for him. This showed me that he was more than just a sitcom actor.

All of the aspects that I have explained, help to make this one of those movies that you have to see at least once. Myself, I have watched it a bunch of times, and plan to do it again when I get the chance. It is a movie that shows both a love for baseball, and a love for the human race, and I love it for that. I highly recommend this as a movie that you buy for your family whether you have seen it or not. For those that have seen it, I consider you lucky, for this is one of those movies that can just pick your spirits up, and make you believe in things that can not just be seen with the naked eye.

For anyone who has not seen this film, I think that you need to see it whether you like baseball or not... it is that good in my opinion. Though it revolves around baseball in its theme, it is about the human spirit in a greater light.

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