The Final Season (2007) Reviews

• This movie is about determination, loyalty and team spirit that won't die in a small town.

  JMRichardson2007-05-12

  I was at Tribeca the weekend of 4-28 & 4-29-07 and saw The Final Season the first night. A large number of the audience were from Norway, Iowa, some appearing in the movie as extras so during the opening scenes, they were cheering not only the movie but themselves and their town as well. It was quite touching to see. The Final Season is the true story of the 1991 Norway High School baseball team's attempt to win a 20th consecutive state title before their school merged with a larger district nearby. Sean Astin in the lead role plays Kent Stock, the head coach for this final season of play after the previous head coach had been removed. *Mild Spoiler* The early part of the movie sets up the excellence of the previous team so after the new coach takes over, things are different, the kids become discouraged and challenge him, forcing Sean (Stock) to quite literally step up to the plate. (Sean speaks about this scene at the Q & A after-wards) This is an upbeat, feel-good sort of movie and at times I found myself on the edge of my seat and at the ending I applauded enthusiastically with the rest of the audience. I liked all the performances of the actors; Tom Arnold and Powers Boothe were both good. I think Michael Angarano who played the part of Mitch Akers a young troubled player stole every scene he was in; he was outstanding! Sean's role is under-stated but believable as the coach and I can envision him in this role in real life (with his daughters). He has a couple of too brief love scenes with Rachel Leigh Cook.

• A Very Good Movie with a Lot Baseball Feeling

  Ghostface262008-06-08

  This is a Great Baseball Movie, and all peoples who have the sport of Baseball in their blood will love this film. Passion, friendship, loyalty, family , all we have in this movie, but specially, a good feeling about baseball, the favorite pass time of all us. I'm from Dominican Republic, where we live the baseball, and we are proud to have ball players like Albert Pujols, Pedro Martinez, Alex Rodriguez, Vladimir Guerrero, Sammy Sosa and others in the MLB, and like i said, we live the feeling and the passion of baseball.. Baseball it's so important to us, and with this movie, we can know the importance of something like that in a town and in our Life. Baseball for much of us , the baseball fans, it's not only a sport, it's more than that, it's passion, it's feeling, It's Proud... The movie have a very good acting and good script.. Playball!.....

• Excellent, good cast, good story

  mrohlee2007-10-14

  The story of a small town high school baseball team in the school's last year. The school, against the wishes of the towns people will be closed and the students transferred to another town's larger school. Sean Austin looking and acting like Vic Morrow has to pull together the depressed, fragmented team. The whole cast contributes. The focus is on the baseball team but it gives a nice picture of life in a small farming community. Tom Arnold is really effective in a small role. This shows what can be done with a small budget and no special effects. I will definitely buy this when it comes out on DVD. The movie has the climax in the big state championship game. The fact that a town with 500+ people could have a high school state champion baseball team once is something but this one had 19. The opposing teams pitcher was unbeaten in the regular season. The person playing the pitcher was excellent. He just had one line but the expressions and body language was very effective. I liked it quite a lot. I am sorry to say that I never saw this advertised and I think there was 3 other people in theater. The only reason I saw it was because I had a free pass and the movies I really wanted to see weren't accepting passes yet. After the movie I felt like going back and giving them the $8. It's a good movie but due to either no big stars or no money for advertising most people will never hear of it.

• cliché'

  jrcallaway2007-10-23

  What I find tired and Cliché' about all this is the critics response. Though not necessarily an Oscar film, the movie is enjoyable and though obviously some of the story was embellished, the things that they would say are cliché' actually happened. The reviewer posted in the IMDb page calls it a rub in Iowa's face. As an Iowan, I didn't feel that way. It does however point out the idiocy of allowing politicians be in control of education and schools, they always seem to think Money = good education, sports is a big part of the education process and obviously this was not a good choice for a town that loves its baseball. Sorry but I don't share the opinion that this pleads the death of underdog films. It points out an Amazing accomplishment, against all the odds and that is exactly the attraction of underdog films... Unfortunately it seems that there was a lack of good planning on the promoting/advertising of the film.

• Wonderfully acted and directed

  SqueakyCheeky2007-10-08

  I just saw it tonight at a sneak preview in Baltimore and it was great. I borrowed my best friend's husband as my date since he's into baseball and she's not. I expected it to be okay but schmaltzy and was pleasantly surprised. It never got too hokey, the humor was great and every character "popped" from the bald reporter (Larry Miller) to the bat boy who got laughs every time just by nodding his head. The grandparents were especially cute the way they picked on each other. I think my favorite part was seeing the pastor with a "doo rag" on his head as a disguise. The performances were uniformly excellent. Sean Astin was great as usual and Michael Angarano has really grown into quite the performer. Highly recommended.