The Natural

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Nicole Love this movie. It has romance, sports, inspiration and intrigue. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/23/25 Full Review Contrafilms An absolute classic. The reason I miss films from the 70s (even though it was made in the 80s). It takes its time, tells a compelling story, doesnt bog you down in the "world" of baseball (even though I wouldn't mind that) and has a cast that is stellar. A real feel-good tearjerker. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/23/25 Full Review Ben N "The Natural" is a classic sports movie. There are a few scenes I wish were better explained, and some of the nuisance gets lost in the quick edits and cut scenes. The glass eye is never explained. The shooting is jarring and unexplained, for the most part. Everything has a hard edge and moves quickly, except for the baseball. We linger on Hobbs and his mannerisms at the plate. I wish there was more with Hobbs pitching, because that was some wind up! I think the film is a great, look at sports heroes as 'gods' of American culture. They have their muses and their downfalls. I enjoyed Brimley as the coach and Bassinger as the femme fatale. This is a good film that is only feeling a little dated, and that is helped by the fact that it is a period piece to begin with. Anyone interested in sports movies should watch "The Natural". Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 10/05/25 Full Review Matthew D Baseball is given all its glory in The Natural! Barry Levinson’s baseball drama The Natural (1984) is one of the greatest sports films ever made and a testament to why baseball players and fans alike have a love of the game. Bernard Malamud’s novel The Natural is adapted here with great care as to portray the reverence for the sport of baseball and create a display of good sportsmanship with a character that is truly playing the game not for money or glory, but because he genuinely loves the sport. The Natural’s finale is some of the finest direction, cinematography, and lighting I have ever seen in a movie with dazzling sparks and a sporting fire. You will never forget that moment and the feeling it will give you. Levinson’s direction is fantastic and endlessly creative. Levinson masters and manipulates the visual technique of displaying silhouettes and shadows in several keys scenes. The darkness envelops characters shrouded in mystery, intrigue, love, or greed. Caleb Deschanel’s cinematography is shot with a noir aesthetic for scenes for an ambient gravitas. Deschanel’s style is striking, especially on the bases, up close at the batter’s face, or down a street at night. Levinson and Deschanel create a magical nostalgic sentiment for The Natural to feel like you are watching a classic baseball game being played by a legendary figure. Furthermore, Levinson’s use of lighting in The Natural is haunting. The natural moonlight in the barn towards the beginning between Robert Redford and Glenn Close is stunning. The moody lamplight in the judge’s office is unnerving and atmospheric. The artificial lighting during the baseball stadium segments is bright and inspiring like the game. Levinson pulls off every lighting trick in the book for The Natural with mesmerizing results. The final shower of sparks from the busted stadium lights is genuinely breathtaking to this day. Next, I should mention the rising and triumphant score from Randy Newman. Newman composes greatness and inspiration note by note for The Natural. Much of the music harkens back to an older America to fit the film’s time period, but his heavenly chimes ring as timeless reminders of the beauty and power of a finely tuned master. Newman’s score for The Natural is as good as his masterpiece musical composition for Awakenings. Randy Newman simply delivered with his soaring symphony for The Natural! Obviously, you should watch The Natural for Robert Redford’s lead role as the skillful baseball player Roy Hobbs. His performance is a combination of showmanship during the baseball playing segments and Redford’s subtle prowess as a nuanced dramatic lead. Redford makes you like Roy Hobbs as his easy going personality, serious romanticism, and cool persona fly across the screen to you like one of Hobb’s blistering home runs. Redford’s best moments in The Natural are perhaps thanks to his chemistry with a young Glenn Close as his love interest Iris Gaines. Redford displays a sincere compassion and earnest adoration for Close. Similarly, Glenn Close is a supportive figure, instead of a foil or basic love interest. She drives and inspires Hobbs to greatness. I was really impressed when they both speak volumes with a few words in the diner sequence with mostly longing stares. In addition to Robert Redford and Glenn Close, The Natural’s superb supporting cast captures a time period with conviction. Robert Duvall kills it as an opportunistic baseball reporter named Max Mercy. Kim Basinger is a sultry and alluring femme fatale with a series of twists and turns attached to her. Wilford Brimley is hilarious as the gruff baseball manager Pop Fisher. Richard Farnsworth is likable and endearing as the coach Red Blow. Barbara Hershey is mysterious and intoxicating in her shocking role as Harriet Bird. Michael Madsen appears as the overly confident Bartholomew “Bump” Bailey. Robert Prosky is menacing from behind the shadows as The Judge. Joe Don Baker is sleazy and massive as the cocky character dubbed “The Whammer.” Lastly, you will not forget the under-handed gambler and glass-eyed bookie Gus Sands as portrayed by Darren McGavin. In short, The Natural is a must see sports drama centered around the virtues of a great baseball player. Robert Redford sells this one alone. Barry Levinson’s direction, Caleb Deschanel’s cinematography, Randy Newman’s score, and the plethora of wonderful actors and actresses within The Natural are all bonuses. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/22/25 Full Review Hadi K The Natural (1984), directed by Barry Levinson and starring Robert Redford, is a nostalgic, mythic take on baseball. Redford shines as Roy Hobbs, supported by strong performances from Glenn Close and Robert Duvall, though some characters feel a bit archetypal. Visually stunning with Caleb Deschanel’s cinematography and Randy Newman’s music, the film occasionally drifts into melodrama and uneven pacing. Its themes of ambition and morality resonate but can feel heavy-handed. Charming and memorable —worth watching for Redford and the baseball romance, though not flawless. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/21/25 Full Review Kyle M Philosophically noted whilst flavorfully fantasizing that treat fans like any pastime a decent homerun with Robert Redford infectiously stealing the bases to moderate fanfare that’s comparably less stirred than the more cheerful games that followed years after. (B) Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/16/25 Full Review Read all reviews

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