Quite good, authentic, gets a little too complex later on..., 25 August 2002 (This comment was deleted by IMDb based on an abuse report filed by another user) I always have liked this one. Sayles takes a complex and important part of our country's sporting past and tries to make sense of it. I admire the casting, the baseball parts are authentic looking, and you gotta enjoy seeing old John Anderson as Kenesaw Mtn Landis. Dead on.
In reality, Charlie Sheen looks a lot more like Chick Gandil than Rooker does, but that is okay. Both guys were fine in their roles. Sweeney takes some of the 'Field of Dreams' mystique outta the Joe Jax role, simply plays him as a gifted hitter who was a dumb hick outside the field. Buck Weaver-as played by Cusack-sympathetic as well, nicely done.
All of them in fact-familiar faces, be it Harvey or Straitharn(kinda Bill Bixby looking isn't he?) or 'Ray Schalk', 'Lefty Williams', etc. The usual great Sayles ensemble. I also like seeing Clifton James in here too as 'the Old Roman'. 'Live and Let Die', anyone? What doesn't work? Some of the guys look too much alike, and if yer not a baseball fan you won't know Risberg from Mullen. And the whole business between Christopher Lloyd, the varied gamblers and the law, well-it was difficult to follow that too.
It looks like: Comiskey paid off the Gamblers to keep their association outta the public eye. At least that is shown. And to target the players only.
Comiskey paid for the lawyers repping the players, 'secretly'.
The Gamblers bought off the jury to keep the players from being convicted and gamblers possibly being drug into trial further.
The players didn't have reps when signing the confessions and were tricked, esp. Joe Jax.
The Commissioner was gonna tar and feather the 8 no matter how the jury went to make an example for everyone to see.
Kenesaw Landis was a corrupt racist who helped make sure the black players were kept outta the game during his lifetime(thru '44)...
The Gamblers/mob guys got away with it, even though they were the ones who set it up, profited from it, paid for it, etc. Comiskey was a cheap SOB who deserved what he got too. Disgraceful.
It all looks like a set up, doesn't it? No matter what happened, the players were not going to get out unscathed.
Very good flick. ***1/2 outta ****
In reality, Charlie Sheen looks a lot more like Chick Gandil than Rooker does, but that is okay. Both guys were fine in their roles. Sweeney takes some of the 'Field of Dreams' mystique outta the Joe Jax role, simply plays him as a gifted hitter who was a dumb hick outside the field. Buck Weaver-as played by Cusack-sympathetic as well, nicely done.
All of them in fact-familiar faces, be it Harvey or Straitharn(kinda Bill Bixby looking isn't he?) or 'Ray Schalk', 'Lefty Williams', etc. The usual great Sayles ensemble. I also like seeing Clifton James in here too as 'the Old Roman'. 'Live and Let Die', anyone? What doesn't work? Some of the guys look too much alike, and if yer not a baseball fan you won't know Risberg from Mullen. And the whole business between Christopher Lloyd, the varied gamblers and the law, well-it was difficult to follow that too.
It looks like: Comiskey paid off the Gamblers to keep their association outta the public eye. At least that is shown. And to target the players only.
Comiskey paid for the lawyers repping the players, 'secretly'.
The Gamblers bought off the jury to keep the players from being convicted and gamblers possibly being drug into trial further.
The players didn't have reps when signing the confessions and were tricked, esp. Joe Jax.
The Commissioner was gonna tar and feather the 8 no matter how the jury went to make an example for everyone to see.
Kenesaw Landis was a corrupt racist who helped make sure the black players were kept outta the game during his lifetime(thru '44)...
The Gamblers/mob guys got away with it, even though they were the ones who set it up, profited from it, paid for it, etc. Comiskey was a cheap SOB who deserved what he got too. Disgraceful.
It all looks like a set up, doesn't it? No matter what happened, the players were not going to get out unscathed.
Very good flick. ***1/2 outta ****