The Sandlot Review

        The 90s were full of sports movies. Specifically, there was at least one movie dedicated to one of the big four popular sports in the country. Mostly some were made into dramas like Love and Basketball and Hoop Dreams to name a few. Though there were loads of kid sports films, you had the entire Mighty Ducks trilogy and Little Giants. The Sandlot is the most beloved among all the kids sports films of all time. 

1. Summer of ‘62

        This is the first sports movie that I was ever exposed to, second only to Space Jam. In terms of movies, this is the one that I always associate my brother with. I think it’s his favorite since we would watch it a lot growing up back in the day. Seeing it now is like a punch of nostalgia since the movie is memorable and quotable. And I think that’s the whole M.O. of the movie, imbuing that sense of innocent memory in a by gone time. 

        With that, we follow the new kid in the neighborhood, Smalls. He gets involved with a group of boys who play baseball at the sandlot. The main highlight is just watching the camaraderie of the kids playing ball and just spending the summer amongst each other. It’s clear that the film is shown in Smalls’ perspective. Told in a nonlinear fashion, since we see the grown-up version of him going to his work and recollecting on his best summer moment.

        The whole film feels like the time it represents. Since it takes place in the early 60s, it manages to pull off the illusion of making everything authentic. Right down to the individual caps that the boys wear. One of them even wearing a cap from a defunct league. It wouldn’t be years later that I went to my local Lids store and find the exact same cap that the character wears. Again using the nostalgia and having the kids chemistry when they talk among each other.

        With most things, there must be a conflict that the group has to resolve, and it involves a baseball. Throughout the film, we hear the tale of the neighborhood dog dubbed The Beast. How the kids describe it along with a scary tale, it seems to be a mutant dog twice as tall as the fence. Within that sub-plot, I love how the group try various methods to get a signed Babe Ruth ball back. Each going wrong and seeing the monstrous dog catch it. 

        Lastly, the movie is like a love letter to the sport and how ingrained it is in American culture. It taps into the simulacra that shows just how simple things were for the kids. And that’s what its all about, all of them get into trouble and do stuff that they’re not supposed to. It’s that idea of growing up where it lacks the subtext which doesn’t deter the movie for a moment. 

2. Legacy

        It’s now a beloved movie for my generation and I can see why. It’s surprising that the reception to the movie has warmed as time went on. It got mixed reviews due in part that the movie was compared to Stand by Me with its narration and sometimes coarse language. Now that’s on my parents for exposing me and my brother to bad words. Even though one of them used them a lot on weekend day.

        For some odd reason, years after the fact it got a direct to video sequel. And I don’t know if I consider myself lucky, but I watched it when I was in Elementary. It involved a new cast and was basically the same thing plot wise. Only this time involving a space shuttle, even though the film took place in 70s, I like things NASA so that was a big pet peeve. And I guess it was so successful that there was yet another sequel. 

3. Overall

        The Sandlot is soon to be a classic among the sports film genre. Still beloved even if you’re not a fan of the sport.