MICKEY

MICKEY - 2004

RATED - PG for adult themes. Very family friendly.

RATINGS - 15 Amazon (3.4/5), 34.086 Netflix (3.5/5).

STARRING - John Grisham wrote the screen play and Hugh Wilson (WKRP Cincinnati, Police Academy, First Wives Club) directed. Harry Connick, Jr. and Shawn Salinas (film debut) starred.

THEMES - Relationships, justice.

STORY - John Grisham is a huge baseball enthusiast and even has built a Little League complex on his property and runs the league every summer so this is not a subject far from his heart. And it shows in the film. The players are really top notch players, not actors trying to look like ballplayers. They actually recruited players from coast to coast and taught them acting skills. It has the feel of real competition when you're watching the game scenes and Grisham understands the dialogue between coaches and players and it seems very realistic to someone who has also been there. The story is about Tripp Spence and son Derrick. Tripp is recently widowed and his life revolves around coaching Derrick's Little League team. Derrick is 12 and has just finished his last year of Little League (or has he?). This is the point at which many boys quit or are eliminated from baseball as they have to make the move from the reduced size fields of Little League to full size fields. Derrick would love to have the last season over and stay at the magic age of 12 forever. Unfortunately, he will get the chance. Tripp has been cheating the IRS on his taxes due to the medical bills (sounds familiar in the health care debate) surrounding his wife's death. When the IRS comes calling, rather than face the music, he decides to create a new identity for himself and Derrick and leave the state. Derrick is now 12 again. There's plenty of action and suspense to keep you engaged and the story takes several unexpected twists at the end. Very family friendly. The couple negative reviews on Amazon seem to think the film encourages cheating and deception. I would disagree and say just the opposite. Enjoy!! Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 08/09/2009.

LINKS - AMAZON