The Natural

Directed by: Barry Levinson

Written by: Roger Towne, Phil Dusenberry (screenplay); Bernard Malamud (novel)









Some movies have good plots.  Some movies have quotable lines.  And some movies have scenes which transcend film and become iconic.  The climactic sequence of "The Natural" has become one of those scenes.

It's too bad that the rest of the film doesn't live up to that final moment.  "The Natural" isn't bad, but it's not as great as the final scene that punctuates it.

The fact is, most of the movie is slow and dry.  Even some of the more exciting moments - Bump Bailey crashing through the wall - don't feel organic or alive.  Once each step of the plot unfolds, there is only one possible direction to the next step, so there's a sense of inevitability rather than surprise.  Meanwhile, none of the characters are terribly vibrant despite what is a very strong cast, so there is really nothing left to keep the story floating.

As if that were not enough, the film is very heavy handed.  There are two very clear sides: good and evil.  The good side is perfect and pure.  The evil side is totally rotten and twisted.  There is no middle, and it is almost always obvious as to who is on which side.  All of this leads to some very obnoxious symbolism.

Still, all of this absolutely worth sitting through to get to that final scene.  That final sequence - with Roy Hobbs stepping to the plate with so much on the line, his side bleeding (there's that symbolism again) - makes the entire film an instant classic.

That iconic scene expressed the spirit imagination of every little boy who ever dreamed of playing professional baseball.  It's almost embedded in the American subconscious at this point - the swing, the crack, the lights shattering, the silhouette of Hobbs rounding the bases as he's showered in sparks.  The climax evokes the magic that makes movies worth seeing.

Falling Down

Directed by: Joel Schumacher

Written by: Ebbe Roe Smith

Ever had one of those really bad days where nothing seems to go your way?

In "Falling Down," William Foster (Douglas) is having one of those days, but instead of moving on with his life, he's decided to act on violent impulses to get his way. In his attempt to see his estranged daughter on her birthday, he crosses Los Angeles taking out anything and everything in his path, from the liquor store clerk who over-charges for a can of soda to the fast-food cashier who won't serve breakfast a few minutes late. Meanwhile, LAPD Detective Prendergast is literally serving his last day before retirement, but decides to tackle Foster's case before he leaves, leading to a dramatic confrontation on the Venice Pier.

This movie is dark and scary in a gritty, realistic way, as though this is the kind of thing that might happen if the wrong person has a bad day.

The only major weak point is the subplot regarding Prendergast's wife being jealous of his female partner. At several points she pops up to bother him about coming home and not taking on any more work on his last day, but I'm not sure what exactly her role serves.

It's not a pleasant movie, but it's definitely worth watching for its uniqueness.

Hoosiers

Directed by: David Anspaugh

Written by: Angelo Pizzo

There aren't too many great basketball movies out there (sorry, Space Jam), but "Hoosiers" is by far the best. In fact, it's easily one of the most inspirational sports movies, regardless of the sport. (As a brief aside, "Hoop Dreams" takes a close and very honorable second place.)

A former college coach (Hackman) with a violent past takes over the basketball program at a high school in small-town Indiana. Not everyone in town takes to his less-than-traditional style of coaching, but with the help of another teacher (Hershey), he manages to earn the loyalty of the best player in town. The long road to the championship isn't easy, though.

I've spent a lot of time thinking about what this movie does right, and trying to narrow it beyond "just about everything." What stands out most is just how real everything in the movie feels - especially the characters. Aside from a few moments of dialogue, nothing feels forced or contrived. It seemed like real people would make these real comments when faced with these real situations. Even the romance subplot, usually the downfall of most movies, plays out in a very natural and unforced fashion. Dennis Hopper, playing the alcoholic assistant coach, even earned an Academy Award nomination for his performance.

The movie is a bit slow at first. It takes a long time to meet the final cast of characters. But it is totally worth the wait. The slow development is an element of the style of the film, not a flaw in the pacing. The film gives us enough time to reflect on the characters and events, which is key in a film where reflection on life is such an important theme.

I won't spend time here describing how Hackman's character is an unlikely amalgam of the great John Wooden and the infamous Bobby Knight. Suffice to say that Hackman balances the virtues of Wooden's coaching with the intensity (borderline fury) of Knight's style. It makes him a rich, full character, who you find yourself rooting for even after you know about why he was dismissed from the college position.

This is a film worth seeing. I highly recommend it, especially now as the shadows of "March Madness" begin to creep in on the edges of our national consciousness.