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CURRENTLY IN MOVIES
The rewards of pursuing a dream, Disney-style

Paul Boge

The Rookie Directed by John Lee Hancock. Walt Disney Pictures. 129 min. Rating: General

From the Disney tradition of the underdog fighting against all odds comes the true story of Jimmy Morris (Dennis Quaid), a man past his prime who wants to play baseball in the majors. Growing up, Jimmy had a troubled relationship with his unsupportive father who, because of his Navy job, moved his family around a lot. Years later, Jimmy is married with children and teaches chemistry at a high school in Big Lake, Texas. A shoulder injury has kept him out of the majors and the only baseball in his life now is the coaching position he has with the Owls, his school’s fledgling team. Jimmy tries to encourage his team by saying: “I’m talking about wanting things. I’m talking about dreams.” But the Owls make Jimmy a bet: “We start winning, you try out again.” The Owls start winning, and Jimmy tries out at a scouting camp with his major weapon: a 98-mile-an-hour fastball that only a few people in the world can throw.

What is intriguing about The Rookie is not only the story of Jimmy Morris but also the story of his wife. The person who came up with the cliché, “Behind every good man stands a better woman”, must have been thinking about Lorri Morris. She successfully holds down the home front while supporting her husband’s journey through the minors even though it is setting them back financially. When Jimmy thinks of quitting, his wife tells him to stick it out. For the Morrises, it’s not about making the big leagues so much as it is about pursuing the dream.

The Rookie is a family film that makes use of multi-generational characters – from a baby to Jimmy’s elderly parents. The story is well paced and captures the basic human need to develop natural talents and interests. It shows the rewards of pursuing (if not succeeding at) a dream, and also the fulfillment experienced by supporters (such as Jimmy’s wife) who stand by, cheer, and hold up their families in their struggles to become the people they were meant to be.

It’s been said that life is not about what you’re predestined for, but what you’re pre-designed for. Jimmy’s father, who later recognizes the error of his ways, communicates this when he tells his son, “It’s okay to do what you want to do, but it’s time to start doing what you were meant to do.”

Paul Boge is a film critic and attends North Kildonan MB Church in Winnipeg.

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Last modified July 10, 2002.

© 2002 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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