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A League of Their Own (Special Edition)

Review by: Alysa Salzberg
AlysaSalzberg@TheCinemaSource.com

It’s a sad truth that some movies just don’t stand the test of time. But even as I sat down to watch A League of Their Own for the first time in several years, I had no fear that this would be the case here. There are so many memorable moments and performances in the film, that I remembered them just as clearly as I had the day after I’d last seen it. Yet they’re so well-acted and –written that League has that wonderful quality of feeling fresh and compelling no matter how many times you’ve seen it before. To cite just one example, regardless of how many times it was shown in the DVD’s special features, not to mention how many times I’ve heard people quote it, Tom Hanks’ “There’s no crying in baseball!” scene still made me crack up.

If you want a flick you can sit down and watch and become totally immersed in, A League of Their Own is the movie for you. And that’s not just meant for girls. Though it deals with girls playing ball, A League of Their Own is anything but a chick flick. These girls play hard and play passionately, and the personal journeys they go through are universal, peppered with insight and humor. We get pitcher Kit (Lori Petty), a younger sibling living a perfect older sib's shadow; “All the Way” Mae Mordabito (Madonna, proving that not all of her movies are destined to bomb), an exuberant lady with a lust for life...and other things besides; Doris (Rosie O’Donnell), a tough woman who learns to let go of her insecurities; and numerous other girls who find love, heartbreak, and, above all, a chance to do something they never thought they would, all on this epic journey to make something of their lives, and, at the same time, to just go out there and play a great game. Joining them are scout Ernie Capadino (Jon Lovitz, hysterical), and Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks, in arguably one of his best roles ever), a disgruntled alcoholic former ballplayer, who’s now disgustedly coaching the girls’ team, the Rockford Peaches. Maybe the most intriguing character of all, though, is Dottie Hinson (Geena Davis), Kit’s older sister, who plays ball as marvellously and effortlessly as the rest of us watch it, yet who doesn’t profess to love the game as passionately as her teammates do. To Dottie, baseball seems a fun distraction, while for some of the other girls, it’s life itself. Characters like these, male or female, are people we can all relate to, or have encountered in our own lives, and watching their dramas and destinies play out on the screen is thoroughly engaging.

Since many of you already know how cool this absorbing/inspiring/often hilarious movie is, I won’t go on ...