This film is hard not to like. It is entertaining and has some nice performances in it, and a bit of a wild plot, as a young kid, age twelve, named Henry (Thomas Ian Nicholas), receives a gift of a strong pitching arm following a freak accident and recovery. He winds up pitching for the Chicago Cubs. A former star pitcher, known as “Rocket” (played by Gary Busey) is a member of the team and he isn’t one to give autographs or be very sociable. But the kid, Henry, wins him over and when the veteran begins to instruct the rookie, they become fast friends. Another nice theme is played out in how Henry’s mother (Amy Morton) believes in him and is there for him. Although this film comes to the border of not being approved due to several utterances of “Oh my God,” these utterances are said in fearful situations for the most part, and there are many positive themes in this film. The way the kids act in this movie is very realistic and there are several funny moments which the young people share.
We happily award “Rookie of the Year” our Dove “Family-Approved” Seal. This film hits a homerun for baseball fans and many others in the audience will enjoy it too.