Mr. Baseball Rating: Release Date: 01 July, 2003 Retail Price: $9.99 OUR Price: $9.99 You SAVE: $0.00! Cast: Tom Selleck Ken Takakura Dennis Haysbert

Mr. Baseball Reviews

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You gotta have Wa
The biggest surprise of "Mr. Baseball" is not that it's actually a pretty good movie, which it is, but that it's one of the few entries in the "Wacky Japan" genre that delivers an honest portrayal of Japan and the Japanese people, as well as as the awkwardness of being a foreigner in Japan, instead of stereotype-ridden nonsense like "Gung Ho!" and "Lost in Translation."

The plot is pretty basic. An aging baseball player gets traded to a Japanese team. Proceed fish out of water story, complete with convenient love story and eventual cultural reconciliation, which shows that both countries have something to give. Its a common enough theme, but still worthwhile if pulled off well. The story has a foundation of truth, being based in part on American ball player Randy Bass and his attempt to break Japanese legend Sadaharu Oh's home run record while playing for the Osaka-based Hanshin Tigers.

Much of the film is carried by Tom Selleck, who has shown in films like "Quigley Down Under" and "In & Out" that he can handle the big screen. He has an easy charm about him, which helps him establish a likable character even when he is being a big loudmouth American jerk. His foil is Coach Uchiyama, played by Ken Takakura who is arguably the greatest Japanese actor of his generation. It was a shock to hear Takakura speak English. I didn't know he could! The two represent the obstinate styles of their representative countries, neither willing to give in or admit the strengths of the other. In-between these two are the American baseball player Max "Hammer" Dubois, who has been in Japan for awhile and has assimilated more or less, and the beautiful Hiroko, who is finally strong enough to break through Selleck's pigheadedness.

So no surprises with the story, but anyone looking for a real window in what it is to come to Japan as a foreigner could do worse that checking out "Mr. Baseball." Its one of the few movies I wish I had actually seen before I came to Japan, although seeing it afterwards I was able to reminisce fondly over the same mistakes I made, and the same stupid assumptions I brought over.

baseball at it's worst
so that's what happened to selleck's career. this is a horrible movie with bad swings, bad acting and a trashy love story that pretty much demeans all women especially those that are japanese. do yourself a favor and don't waste your money or an hour and a half of your life watching this "plotline" unfold.

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