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Off the Black

Play trailer Poster for Off the Black R 2006 1h 30m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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65% Tomatometer 43 Reviews 57% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
After his baseball team loses a game due to a call by umpire Ray Cook (Nick Nolte), Dave Tibbel (Trevor Morgan) and some friends decide to vandalize Ray's house. Dave is caught and starts paying off his debt by cleaning up the mess. Then Ray unexpectedly offers to forgive the debt if the teen will accompany him to his 40th high-school reunion and pose as his son. A paternal bond forms between Ray, who is dying, and Dave, whose own father (Timothy Hutton) is emotionally distant.
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Off the Black

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Critics Consensus

Nick Nolte shines in his role as an irascible high school umpire, imbuing this indie coming-of-age dramedy with heft and true-to-life warmth.

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Critics Reviews

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J. R. Jones Chicago Reader 03/21/2011
The leads are good, and Timothy Hutton is memorably off-putting as the pitcher's disengaged dad. But having created the aching umpire, Ponsoldt occupies him with some fairly shopworn situation. Go to Full Review
Bob Longino Atlanta Journal-Constitution 02/01/2007
B+
A modest drama fueled by Nick Nolte's gutsy lead performance as a disheveled 57-year-old junkyard proprietor who's been as flattened by life as the rusty old cars he crushes. Go to Full Review
Noel Murray AV Club 12/30/2006
C
Nolte almost makes it work. Go to Full Review
David Lamble Bay Area Reporter 05/19/2020
Ponsoldt's central metaphor is for a perplexing male relationship that's a lot harder to call than a ball that cuts just off the corner of the plate, and can decide a life well beyond the game. Go to Full Review
Nina MacLaughlin Boston Phoenix 03/19/2013
3.5/4
Nolte nails the particular tragedy of the past-his-prime ex-high-school athlete. Go to Full Review
Charles Cassady Common Sense Media 12/15/2010
2/5
Nolte is a flawed mentor in uncertain indie drama. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Georgan G 08/11/2024 A very touching drama about life's difficulities from the standpoint of several excellently played characters. Nolte is the alcoholic, dying, bitter man who befriends a high schooler basically without parents. See more 12/08/2021 Nick Nolte plays Ray Cook, a disillusioned baseball coach down on his luck and unhappy with how his life has turned out Trevor Morgan is Dave Tibbel, a kid that's free-spirited who's part of that same baseball team who lost a recent game One night with his friends he pulls a harmless prank on Ray but he is caught Ray expects restitution, then he gets a letter about his high school reunion coming up He hatches an idea; to impress his old classmates he asks Dave to pose as his son If all goes well then the slate is wiped clean But these two are unprepared for the unexpected bond like any father and son would share A very slow, solemn experience but Nolte and Morgan are so great They both learn a lot from their youth and elderly experiences Sure we reach our prime in life but it's never too late to still leave an impression and our mark See more 01/24/2014 Off the Black is a simple drama about bonds and connections, image and sympathy. Its endearing and has all those classic tropes you need for a small indie drama film, but the movie is just good enough, from director/writer James Ponsoldt. See more 12/24/2013 The leads are good, and Timothy Hutton is memorably off-putting as the pitcher's disengaged dad. But having created the aching umpire, Ponsoldt occupies him with some fairly shopworn situation. See more 08/29/2013 ive become a big fan of james ponsoldt after seeing his latest 2 films smashed and the spectacular now, so i def wanted to check his other films out, while i didnt have the same emotional response to this one as i did the other 2, its still very solid, hes very good at directing relationships, and the one between nolte and morgan is great, neither go overboard or over dramamtic, it felt real and i enjoyed seeing them together, dewitt is good too, but i wouldve liked to know more about her or see more scenes with her, the girl that plays the sister is good too, while the story might not be the most original, its still a good watch See more 07/24/2013 I sat through this dreck for almost an hour before I decided I just did not care. None of the characters are likable, there's nothing redeeming about the story, and it's in general just incredibly boring. I wish I could get that wasted hour back. See more Read all reviews
Off the Black

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Movie Info

Synopsis After his baseball team loses a game due to a call by umpire Ray Cook (Nick Nolte), Dave Tibbel (Trevor Morgan) and some friends decide to vandalize Ray's house. Dave is caught and starts paying off his debt by cleaning up the mess. Then Ray unexpectedly offers to forgive the debt if the teen will accompany him to his 40th high-school reunion and pose as his son. A paternal bond forms between Ray, who is dying, and Dave, whose own father (Timothy Hutton) is emotionally distant.
Director
James Ponsoldt
Producer
Scott Macaulay, Robin O'Hara
Screenwriter
James Ponsoldt
Distributor
ThinkFilm
Production Co
Forensic Films
Rating
R (A Crude Sexual Remark)
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 8, 2006, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 6, 2020
Box Office (Gross USA)
$24.0K
Runtime
1h 30m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital
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