Years after an arm injury forced him out of baseball, an aging science teacher is inspired to attempt to play in the Major Leagues.

What is it about baseball that lends itself to such admiration? It's the purity of the game. There's something so historically innocent about baseball that we associate it with all that is good about our country and how that translates into the American ideal. Enter the true story of Major League pitcher Jim Morris, and we've got a recipe for success.

Dennis Quaid is perfectly cast as Jim Morris. He actually looks surprisingly youthful here, even compared to his appearance in recent films like Frequency and Arlington Road. He has the look and attitude of an underdog you can't help but root for. Rachel Griffiths, as his wife, gives a fine performance as well. She is remarkably adept at masking her Australian accent.

I didn't find this film incredibly inspirational, nor do I think it deserves its "tearjerker" label. But I loved the story (and I love baseball). It's a fantastic family film but could stand to lose 10 minutes of runtime, probably from the first half hour.

Directed by John Lee Hancock.

DVD has some nice features and is highly recommended.