Up for Grabs
Up for Grabs
| 01 October 2004 (USA)
Up for Grabs Trailers

The absurd true story of the legal battle over the "Million-Dollar Baseball." Barry Bonds' record setting 73rd home run ball sparks a melee in the stands at Pac Bell Park in San Francisco. One guy caught the ball, another guy ended up with it. Who is the rightful owner? The lawyers can't agree; the fans can't agree; even the wisened professors of property law can't agree. This is a story documenting the hilarious lengths to which someone will go for a baseball, and the few fans that will put their lives on hold for years, staking everything on one judge's decision.

Reviews
Incannerax

What a waste of my time!!!

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ThedevilChoose

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

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Bob

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

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Francene Odetta

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

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fanaticpress

This documentary was very well done. It followed the case between the two guys that said they should have the 73rd home run ball. While watching it I was thinking the one that caught it should have the ball but after watching it I'm thinking the one that ended up with the ball should have had it. In a free-for-all situation like that, the one that walks out with the ball should keep it. It had me wondering how it would turn out in the end and I wasn't very surprised really. The only real surprise was what the lawyers for the guy that "found" the ball did at the end. Don't want to spoil it for you. Well worth a watch. And I'm not even a baseball fan.Side note: The person that ended up buying the ball at the auction was once a very popular comic book artist for Marvel Comics. He later worked for Image Comics and created SPAWN. He owns a company now that puts out high quality collector figures. McFarland Toys.

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Agent10

For all of the future self-serving idiots that look to grab a stake of history, watch this movie. Granted, Up for Grabs is a pretty basic documentary in the straightest sense, but it's the human drama that is involved that makes it such a comedic experience.Popov and Hayashi were both idiots, let's make that clear. But Popov's overwhelming sense of self worth seemed to provide just what he wanted. He was a loathing, idiot that was purely out to make money, just like Hayashi. But you couldn't turn away from Popov. His idiocy is what truly makes the story, and let's face it, his greed ultimately cost him a lot of money and debt.What I also found so compelling about this movie is how times have changed. People only care about the money making aspect rather than the thrill of the game. People don't go to a game to see someone like Barry Bonds (or these days, Albert Pujols), they're just waiting for the day he sets some record so they could grab a potential meal ticket. It's a pretty startling assessment when Bonds is the sensible and well-meaning conscience that neither Hayashi or Popov seemed to have.

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wjtrinkle

First, being an avid S. F. Giants fan who had the wonderful fortune to be present when Barry Bonds hit his 73rd home run in 2001, this was a must see for me. To have so much focus on such a major sports event and its repercussions was nice just for the memories it brought back. Plenty worthwhile just for this reason alone.Beyond that this film is just plain funny, with its exposure of the humanity - greed, stupidity, arrogance, confusion, etc. - of those involved in the dispute surrounding the ownership of the 73rd home run baseball. There is even a dreaded Dodger fan in all his intellectual wonder, commenting in his inimitable way upon the events and dispute.I didn't reach any personal conclusions on the individuals disputing the ball ownership, as a result of the film. I was quite impressed with the comments from the Judge who handled the trial of the case and decided what would happen to the ball.From a purely "documentary film" critical point of view, the documentary was fine, but not great. It was definitely the story here which has center stage in this one and how it was told did not interfere with the pleasure in it at all. I am sorry so few people will likely get the opportunity to see this one.

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KCDTA

I saw "Up For Grabs" at the Phoenix Film Festival, where it took away the best doc prize. I just ran across this film again and it looks like it found a distributor, and is being released in theatres! Glad to see it. It reminded me of a Christopher Guest mock-umentary, but it's real - lots of laughs and dynamic characters! "Up For Grabs" follows two men who are fighting over possession of Barry Bonds' #73 homerun ball. These characters are really exposed for who they are, inside and out. The ending couldn't have been better! But, I don't want to introduce any spoilers, so go see for yourself! Was anyone else lucky enough to see this in its film festival run?

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