Sugar

R

Released Apr 3, 2009

1 hr. 58 min.

Drama

List

92%

137 Reviews

Tomatometer

79%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Like many young men in the Dominican Republic, 19-year-old Miguel "Sugar" Santos (Algenis Perez Soto) dreams of winning a slot on an American baseball team. Indeed, his talents as a pitcher eventually land him a slot on a single-A team in Iowa, but culture shock, racism and other curveballs threaten to turn Sugar's dream sour.

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Critics Consensus

Sugar is an exceptionally-crafted film -- part sports flick, part immigrant tale -- with touching and poignant drama highlighted by splendid performances.

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Audience Member

Ascesa e declino di un giovane talento del baseball; "Sugar" offre una visione molto completa e personale del complesso mondo che gira intorno allo sport professionistico. Il protagonista purtroppo rende un po' troppo macchinosi alcuni passaggi per la sua estrema introversia. Reso molto chiaro il problema del cambio di lingua; ed il finale è molto interessante, specialmente l'ultima scena.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/12/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Not my type of film.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/18/23

Full Review

Audience Member

If you love baseball, you'll love this movie. This is the story of a Dominican teenager who is picked up by the Kansas City Baseball Academy in the Dominican, signed to a minor league contract, and sent to spring training in Arizona. From there we follow him to his first team, and watch him deal with baseball struggles, an injury, learning English and learning a new culture. It's a coming of age movie as well as a baseball movie, and I recommend it.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/12/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I enjoyed this movie, it turned out a bit different than I expected, but it was a Hollywood-ized movie into the struggles of immigrants. The French Toast thing is something I can relate to as a son of immigrants, LOL. I'd recommend the movie.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Moving and inspiring story that ably shows the hardships and relationships of Dominican baseball players

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/14/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Alright baseball flick.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

Full Review

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Anna Boden

Director

Ryan Fleck

Director

Algenis Perez Soto

Miguel "Sugar" Santos

Rayniel Rufino

Jorge Ramirez

André Holland

Brad

Michael Gaston

Stu

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Show More Cast & Crew

58%

50%

Last Days

83%

91%

Wit

86%

86%

Citizen X

54%

39%

Explicit Ills

81%

90%

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Matt Singer

The Rumpus

Sugar is worth seeing not because it invalidates baseball's meritocracy, or because it makes us feel guilty for enjoying the national pastime, but because it shows us with empathy and insight how baseball players are more than what they do on the field.

Sep 18, 2017

Full Review

Nicole Armour

Film Comment Magazine

Sugar's personal achievement is uplifting-and it's also cause for celebration when artists create just for the love of the game.

Oct 20, 2014

Full Review

David Parkinson

Empire Magazine

This captures many moving moments and atmospheres in the diverse settings, bu the narrative arc isn't quite as engaging as it could be.

Rated: 3/5

May 9, 2014

Full Review

Joanne Laurier

World Socialist Web Site

Sugar is a bittersweet commentary about the cutthroat path to the American leagues for Dominican ballplayers.

Mar 5, 2021

Full Review

Debbie Lynn Elias

Behind The Lens

A hopeful story, a heartwarming story, an entertaining story...

Nov 15, 2019

Full Review

David Harris

Spectrum Culture

Writer-directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck could have created a cliché-ridden film...But the pair (who also made the teacher drama Half Nelson), are more concerned with humanism than proving that dreams do come true.

Rated: 3.5/5

Oct 9, 2019

Full Review

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Synopsis

Like many young men in the Dominican Republic, 19-year-old Miguel "Sugar" Santos (Algenis Perez Soto) dreams of winning a slot on an American baseball team. Indeed, his talents as a pitcher eventually land him a slot on a single-A team in Iowa, but culture shock, racism and other curveballs threaten to turn Sugar's dream sour.

Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Executive Producer: Anna Boden
Screenwriter: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co: HBO Films
Rating: R (Language|Brief Drug Use|Some Sexuality)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 3, 2009, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.1M

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