**Black History Month Series #12
**
"It's you and me, Leon. We can't never lose... never."
Baseball, what a sport. Tried my hand as a kid but thy skills never carried into adulthood. But that can't be said for a group of individuals who worked hard and dreamed big way back in the aughts. The Negro League has some of the most groundbreaking Black athletes to ever play in the field and this film is a solid showcase of the playmakers who moved the chains amidst the backdrop of the 1930's. The heart of the film is carried by the chemistry shared between Billy Dee Williams and James Earl Jones. Both performers are known for playing more straightforward, serious roles so it's nice to see them balance the serious beats with a lighter, humorous side of themselves. Anytime you get these two on-screen, you're guaranteed to have a blast.
The stacked supporting cast is pretty good too: there's a funny irony that I'm watching this after The Wiz earlier this month as three actors from that film also star in this: Richard Pryor with a "I no Black, I Cuban!" schtick, Ted Ross - who plays a snarky antagonist here, and Mabel King as a character subject to every vicious, cruel fat joke known to man - The Nutty Professor wasn't this harsh... or was it? Every other aspect, however, is a bit underwhelming - stronger directing and writing would've sufficed. Story-wise, it's by-the-numbers and the runtime can start to run a little thin down the stretch (as evidenced by most films of this decade) but eventually lands a home run in its entertaining - and historical - themes. Perhaps I'll do a double feature of this and 42 one day.
**Black History Month Series #12
**
"It's you and me, Leon. We can't never lose... never."
Baseball, what a sport. Tried my hand as a kid but thy skills never carried into adulthood. But that can't be said for a group of individuals who worked hard and dreamed big way back in the aughts. The Negro League has some of the most groundbreaking Black athletes to ever play in the field and this film is a solid showcase of the playmakers who moved the chains amidst the backdrop of the 1930's. The heart of the film is carried by the chemistry shared between Billy Dee Williams and James Earl Jones. Both performers are known for playing more straightforward, serious roles so it's nice to see them balance the serious beats with a lighter, humorous side of themselves. Anytime you get these two on-screen, you're guaranteed to have a blast.
The stacked supporting cast is pretty good too: there's a funny irony that I'm watching this after The Wiz earlier this month as three actors from that film also star in this: Richard Pryor with a "I no Black, I Cuban!" schtick, Ted Ross - who plays a snarky antagonist here, and Mabel King as a character subject to every vicious, cruel fat joke known to man - The Nutty Professor wasn't this harsh... or was it? Every other aspect, however, is a bit underwhelming - stronger directing and writing would've sufficed. Story-wise, it's by-the-numbers and the runtime can start to run a little thin down the stretch (as evidenced by most films of this decade) but eventually lands a home run in its entertaining - and historical - themes. Perhaps I'll do a double feature of this and 42 one day.
