Hardball

PG-13

Released Sep 14, 2001

1 hr. 46 min.

Drama

List

41%

115 Reviews

Tomatometer

70%

50,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Conor (Keanu Reeves) is a ticket scalper, gambler and, now, Little League coach for a rag-tag team of kids in one of the toughest part of Chicago. He's no role model, but his buddy Jimmy won't help him pay off his gambling debts unless Conor coaches Jimmy's corporately sponsored team. Surprising even himself, Conor becomes attached to his players -- and to their attractive schoolteacher (Diane Lane) -- and drawn into their tough and sometimes tragic lives.

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Critics Consensus

Although Hardball contains some touching moments, they are not enough to transcend the sports formula.

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Brooks M

I LOVE IT WHEN YOU CALL ME BIG POPPA

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/24/24

Full Review

Tim M

The child actors will keep audiences rooting, but Hardball lets them down with melodramatic story beats and a strained Keanu Reeves performance.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

01/06/24

Full Review

Rae L

EXCELLENT acting, directing, casting, writing IMPORTANT relevant sadly, timeless sadly, Rotten Tomatoes score is disappointing and makes me not respect. The film is educational while inspirational, and fosters love for baseball. Keanu Reeves' acting is perfect and the Razzie award was just stupid. Diane Lane is perfect as usual. The writers Daniel Coyle and John Gatins included every significant aspect of the true story. Life in Subsidized housing for many and how death of youths is unsurprising and survival should be awarded, gambling addiction, economic hardships impact behavior, obstacles overcome by dedicated teachers and parents especially when can work in tandem, and ALL OF IT. Young Michael B. Jordan was fun to see and other stars. I suggest Rotten Tomatoes rewatch the film and re-review it. And Razzies should withdraw the, I can't say it, award given to Keanu. Watch it with the family. Wonderful!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/23/23

Full Review

Nancy A

Strong language by kids, but then the coach takes care of getting them to calm it down. Really loved this movie and have seen it numerous times. Give it a chance and you might enjoy it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/18/23

Full Review

FunkoPasion L

Very good sports movie having several social messages at the same time.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/27/23

Full Review

Patricia H

Very good movie it's so sad what happen to g baby but after all very good movie I give it a 💯

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/10/23

Full Review

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Brian Robbins

Director

Keanu Reeves

Conor O'Neill

Diane Lane

Elizabeth Wilkes

John Hawkes

Ticky Tobin

Bryan Hearne

Andre Ray Peetes

Julian Griffith

Jefferson Albert Tibbs

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Lisa Alspector

Chicago Reader

The filmmakers realize that playing baseball isn't nearly enough to fix what's wrong in these kids' lives, which might have made a more provocative ending than what follows.

May 13, 2020

Full Review

Matthew Feeney

Slate

[Keanu] Reeves is often mocked for his blankness, but that quality is an asset here.

May 13, 2020

Full Review

Nathan Rabin

AV Club

Director Brian Robbins' film ultimately seems as uninterested in penetrating the graffiti-scarred walls of its Cabrini Green setting as its white-bread protagonist is.

May 13, 2020

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

At heart, it's still an underdog sports flick of the sort we've seen countless times.

Rated: 2.5/4

Sep 24, 2021

Full Review

Allison Rose

FlickDirect

Stereotypical at its best, copycat at its worst, Hardball is okay but nothing special.

Rated: 3/5

Sep 21, 2021

Full Review

Steve Simels

TV Guide

It's clichéd, tacky and cynical.

Rated: 1/4

May 13, 2020

Full Review

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Synopsis

Conor (Keanu Reeves) is a ticket scalper, gambler and, now, Little League coach for a rag-tag team of kids in one of the toughest part of Chicago. He's no role model, but his buddy Jimmy won't help him pay off his gambling debts unless Conor coaches Jimmy's corporately sponsored team. Surprising even himself, Conor becomes attached to his players -- and to their attractive schoolteacher (Diane Lane) -- and drawn into their tough and sometimes tragic lives.

Director: Brian Robbins
Executive Producer: Herb Gains, Erwin Stoff, Kevin McCormick
Screenwriter: Daniel Coyle, John Gatins
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Fireworks Pictures
Rating: PG-13 (Some Violence|Language|Thematic Elements)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 14, 2001, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 6, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $40.2M
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby A, SDDS, DTS, Surround, Dolby Digital, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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