THE PREMISE:

"A Little League baseball team of misfits dedicate their season to a player's dying father. In doing so, they accomplish the impossible by reaching the World Series finals in a game that became an ESPN instant classic." 

OUR MOVIE REVIEW:

There is just something about baseball that fits so snugly into a family film. It’s a pastime about teamwork, sportsmanship, and courage, the ingredients from the feel-good recipe. This sport has been malleable in its interpretation of life. From childish fervor and nostalgia in The Sandlot to the quiet poignancy of Field of Dreams, baseball always goes down smoothly.

While those latter films are buoyed by fantasy, You Gotta Believe is steeped in reality, even if the story is fantastic. This film tells the true story of how a disjointed baseball team that couldn’t win a game to save their lunch money competed in a very real Little League Finals run in 2002. 

The team’s coach, Jon Kelly (Greg Kinnear), is mostly absent from his duties, leaning deep into his lawyer responsibilities. His good friend, Bobby Ratliff (Luke Wilson), shares something in common with Jon: both have boys on the team. One father wants their kids to win and enjoy the game; the other couldn’t be bothered to care.

That all changes when Bobby gets diagnosed with cancer. Motivated by the spirit of hope and passion, the team and Jon rally to propel their team to success.

Like a series of plays drawn on a chalkboard, You Gotta Believe follows the fundamental building blocks required in all underdog sports stories. The young players perform drills and reps, harness their potential, bicker, and make up. A handful of adults walk on to provide mentoring and coaching to the ragtag group of players, aiding Jon in a seemingly impossible task. While this is a baseball movie, many beats play out like a Mighty Ducks script. 

Director Ty Roberts co-wrote this with Lane Garrison, dialing in on the love of the game and resiliency as the main themes. A quick Google search will spoil the outcome of the team’s championship run and the fate of Bobby Ratliff. This would be a gross misstep for the viewer. 

There is magic to sports movies, even those that are safe and predictable. You Gotta Believe does not break new ground or deviate from the winning formula that dark horse athlete stories have been associated with. However, to the uninitiated of these film types, the hopeful confidence exhibited by the characters will still be infectious. You Gotta Believe is fine enough to shake things up in a climate of over-the-top superhero films and nihilistic, brooding dramas. 

It must be said that this movie is sweet and innocent and that, at a certain level, it might appeal to younger kids. However, I doubt if its ambitions reach much beyond that.