"Mr. Baseball" is a pretty good film and it is enjoyable to watch. However, the main character, Jack (Tom Selleck) is rather unrealistic and if his character had been toned down just a bit, I think it would have been a better film.
When the film begins, Jack is playing in the major leagues for the New York Yankees. However, despite being a star in the past, his last season was terrible and he is now about to be released. But no other American team wants him because he's overpaid, arrogant and not performing. His only option...play ball in Japan. But his road to success is VERY bumpy...much of it because the culture is so different and because Jack is an obnoxious idiot! Can Jack learn to be a little less 'Jack' and manage to make a success of it?
As I said, Jack is a character that comes off poorly...entertaining to watch but also one dimensional and cartoonish. Of course life will be difficult for a major leaguer to move to Japan...but not THIS much because his character does NOTHING to try to learn Japanese customs or fit in with the team. Perhaps the filmmakers thought they needed to exaggerate all this...I think toning him down a bit would have been wiser. Still, it is worth watching....warts and all.
When the film begins, Jack is playing in the major leagues for the New York Yankees. However, despite being a star in the past, his last season was terrible and he is now about to be released. But no other American team wants him because he's overpaid, arrogant and not performing. His only option...play ball in Japan. But his road to success is VERY bumpy...much of it because the culture is so different and because Jack is an obnoxious idiot! Can Jack learn to be a little less 'Jack' and manage to make a success of it?
As I said, Jack is a character that comes off poorly...entertaining to watch but also one dimensional and cartoonish. Of course life will be difficult for a major leaguer to move to Japan...but not THIS much because his character does NOTHING to try to learn Japanese customs or fit in with the team. Perhaps the filmmakers thought they needed to exaggerate all this...I think toning him down a bit would have been wiser. Still, it is worth watching....warts and all.