That was an excellent one.

Absolutely brilliant

I gave this film a 9 out of 10, because it was exactly what I expected it to be.

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

Viewed on DVD. Subtitles =three (3) stars. Director Fred Schepisi delivers a very limp romantic comedy with a phony, Americanized version of Japanese baseball as a back drop (those interested in the culture of real Japanese baseball may wish to read Robert Whiting's 1989 definitive book on the subject, You Gotta Have Wa). The film's plot involves an over-the-hill American major league player whose contract is bought by a Japanese team. This fish-out-of-cultural-water scenario is far better and more accurately described in Whiting's book. Some cultural nuances, however, are caught in the script including the politically-correct role of the Gaijin-player's interpreter (also described in Whiting's book). Film was not shot in a Japanese baseball park (and, aside from spectator and a few other pickup shots, does not appear to be filmed in Japan), and it sure looks it! Major film composer Jerry Goldsmith's score is surprising uneven and not that great (perhaps the orchestrations did him in?). Subtitles are missing about half the time. Slightly better than watching screen savers on Amazon Fire TV. WILLIAM FLANIGAN, PhD.

By the time you get to my review, you already know almost all you need to know about this movie. I have been a baseball fan for most of my life, growing up in the Chicago area, and going to many Cubs and White Sox games. And I have seen most of the baseball movies. This one is different and above average, with its strong international cultural component, comparing humanity's only civilized sport in an unknown venue, Japan, with my fading "National Pastime" in the United States. Watching how the Japanese have transformed our sport is unnerving at first, but I eventually relaxed and went with the flow. At least on film, the "Dragons" play on an incredibly ugly dirty field, with people jammed in around wall-to-wall like sardines. In fact, Japanese cultural differences are mostly caused by extreme overpopulation, where every time they turn around, they hit someone. Concealing emotion behind courtesy keeps their world from tipping into total chaos. Luckily, the baseball action looks official, because a lot of the players are retired professionals. Sellick also had some training as a ball player in his past. The movie is about Tom Sellick's behavioral transformation from "The Ugly American Strikes Out Again" to "The Guy Who Fits In Everywhere Without Needing a Baseball Bat"; with his new fellow jocks, the Type A manager, his love interest, and even the owner/investors. Tom overplays his initial jerk phase, making his realizations about how to succeed in a foreign culture seem less plausible, but emphasizes his cultural evolution. Sellick, an actor with extreme staying power and a new series in 2010, has a universally excellent supporting cast. Although I have never visited Japan, seeing this movie makes that eventuality less likely. I don't like naked reinforced concrete walls and raw steel, displayed here in abundance. Thanks to our WWII carpet bombing, at least the Japanese don't make their buildings out of wood and paper anymore!

I saw this 15 years ago in the theater and while I never had the desire to see it again, it always stuck with me. Maybe that's because (1) I love baseball; (2) hate to see arrogant ballplayers; and (3) cringe if I see someone not representing my country in a positive light. That's what you get in this film as Tom Selleck plays a crude, profane, "ugly American" ballplayer who's talents have been outlived in the Major Leagues and he's now relegated to play in Japan. (Ironically, Japan is just starting to make some inroads the other way around, especially with Daisuke Matsuzaka and the Red Sox.)Anyway, "Jack Elliott" (Selleck) pouts his way around Japan until he gets involved in a romance, which is portrayed somewhat stupidly and leads to a predictable ending. Other characters in here were interesting to watch, such as the stern manager, played by Ken Takakura. One of the other American players has turned out to be a star in his own right, acting-wise: Dennis Haybert of "24" and now "The Unit."There are a lot better baseball movies out there, but you could do worse, too. It was okay, but as an American, I get to see enough arrogant pro athletes play here every day. All I have to do is turn on the TV.

Mr Baseball was a fun video rental with my Fiancé Susan Nauss. Susan said that she had been looking forward to seeing the movie. Ken Takakura Oda as a tough yet Honorable Manager makes sense. Ken Takakura has made so many wonderful Asian movies, I correct the one reviewer and say Takakura is still a Cinematic Presence with films like Hotari. Of course everyone likes Tom Selleck yet Ken Takakura is the better dramatic actor of the two. Today someone accused me of being Yakuza, well I say that My Great Uncle Shadow President Jack F Kennedy myself and others are part of the legitimate Human leadership in our Universe and thanks to our coCreators Humans are free people fighting all the parts of adversity that President Kennedy talked about in his inaugural address. To be honest someone has kept food prices very low in Canada on things like bread. In honor of our CoCreators please stop eating amphibians reptiles and eggs. I hope that there will one day be a sequel to Mr Baseball with Father Ken Takakura Oda still as Manager. Thank you to IMDb for supporting freedom of speech like the kind President George W Bush and I support. Support IMDb.