kenapl2 A Great Love Story, A team Overcoming insurmountable odds.. Facing potential death for playing in the game, but doing it for the team, Pops, his first love, and his son. Just the history of the bat is almost enough, but sprinkled with these other elements: if you can watch 2:10-2:15 and not get chills......It all comes together in One Swing. The team, his legacy, his son, his first love. David fells Goliath.Amazing music (Grammy Award winner 1985), cinematography, acting, and story. Great actors. Great Story. Could watch every week. Just like Hoosiers - Jimmy Chitwood winning shot. Enjoy.

a_chinn Wonderful bit of Americana told through that most American of sports, baseball. Director Barry Levinson fashions a mythic tale about an over-the-hill 1920s baseball player, Roy Hobbs, finally getting his shot at the big leagues with the fictional New York Knights. Robert Redford plays Hobbs, himself in many ways a stereotypical All- American boy. Hobbs seemingly comes out of nowhere and no one knows where this talented player came from or why it took him so long to appear in the majors. Hobbs quickly gains fame an attention, and while on his journey faces many challenges; tempted by seductresses, facing down dark corrupting forces, and the lure of money and fame. As with most American myths and tropes, they have their roots in other cultures. The mythology presented in "The Natural" seems heavily influenced by Greek Mythology, with Hobbs as a Homer-like hero on a journey to find home. Kim Basinger and Barbara Hershey plays a sirens. Darren McGavin and Robert Duvall plays dark, corrupting underworld god-like figures manipulating events. Glenn Close represents the home that Hobbs is seeking. Other actors of note in the film include Wilford Brimley as the team manager and Richard Farnsworth as an assistant coach. There's also strong supporting performances from Robert Prosky, Michael Madsen, Mike Starr, and Joe Don Baker in a small role that's a thinly veiled analogue for Babe Ruth. Randy Newman also deserve note for his beautiful score, as does director of photography Caleb Deschane. When a baseball smashes the ballpark lights in an explosion of sparks and rousing music are unforgettable and gorgeous. Barry Levinson has made some brilliant, including "Diner," "Avalon," and TV series like "OZ" and "Homicide: Life on the Street," but I think this film may be my favorite of all of his fine work.

mike david 1. Discover your talent/gift, but also work hard to develop it 2. Beware of women when you succeed and make it 3. When life sidetracks you, make a comeback 4. Believe in yourself and your talent 5. It's never too late to live your dreams and up to your potential 6. Beware of the friends you keep 7. Love and family are more important than fame and fortune if it means loneliness or health risks; know when to walk away. 8. Remember what your father taught you 9. Having the right woman by your side who loves you for who you are is better than the wrong one who only loves you for the money and fame 10. Fame and fortune have a way of changing people from their home grown roots; remember where you came from.These are ten tips of wisdom contained in and taught in the Natural. Not many films go for worldly wisdom in such a natural, easy to follow, and realistic way, but the Natural builds its' whole story and characters around it. This film has heart, superb acting, lines you can memorize, and is lots of fun if you're a baseball fan.It also has an incredible, star studded cast of great actors: Redford, Duvall, Barbara Hershey, Kim Basinger, Glenn Close, and at least three other lesser known, but well respected actors. It's as much about baseball as it is about how to gain and handle success.

Lars Lendale The Natural might have one of the best scores of all time. That soundtrack is epic. It really carries the entire movie and these long homeruns. But there are several negatives:1 ) The movie does not follow the book - consequently a 50 year old Redford plays a 19 and then a 35 year old Hobbs. Doesn't make any sense.2 ) This movie really isn't about baseball, and isn't a good fantasy adaptation. It lacks dramatic dimension -not enough suspense - nothing at stakes.3 ) Hobbs should be on a mission to redeem himself, not cruise with knock out hits from the get go. Hobbs' passion for baseball is not sufficiently illustrated, that's the problem. Therefore, including subplots is a negative because it derives from the point: Hobbs forgot the meaning of baseball in his life.I can't say anything wrong about the acting, it's very good. But the epic fantasy that we get in Field of Dreams is missing in the Natural. It's so unfortunate because the book is so good, and there aren't that many baseball movies. But, overall, it leaves me on a positive note.