Amazing Grace and Chuck (1987) User Reviews

sentimental anti-nuke fantasy ...

[AlsExGal · 5/10 · 16 October 2017]

... about Little League baseball pitcher Chuck (Joshua Zuehlke) who, after taking a tour of a nuclear missile silo, has a terrible dream about nuclear Armageddon that inspires him to refuse to pitch anymore games as long as nuclear missiles exist in the world.

His story gets picked up nationally, where it strikes a chord with NBA superstar "Amazing Grace" Smith (Alex English). He decides to refuse to play as well, and he moves to Chuck's small hometown. They are soon joined by more professional athletes, as the world's sportspeople all take up the cause. Their innocent campaign has consequences, though, such as angry locals, as well as disapproval from the highest levels of power.

Co-starring William L. Petersen and Frances Conroy as Chuck's parents, Jamie Lee Curtis as Amazing Grace's sports agent, Lee Richardson as a shady financier and power-broker, and, in his first big screen role in 7 years, Gregory Peck as the U.S. president.

This is silly stuff, operating at a child's level of naivete. The message is a nice one, if in no way practical. There were a few of these anti-nuke films in the waning days of the Cold War, and most were terrible. The acting is passable in this one, if nothing memorable, and there aren't any stand-out moments scriptwise, either. It's technically well-made, with Robert Elswit on cinematography and Elmer Bernstein providing the score.

Possibly worth it for a historical perspective, albeit a pedestrian one.

A good flick for young or old

[SisterArtemis · 7/10 · 25 November 2008]

I had a very different take on this movie than the previous commenter. I first watched the movie as an adult, with my 7-ish year old daughter and a couple of friends. Though somewhat simplistic in nature, the themes are pretty deep. I view the movie as a kind of audio-visual poem, a Tale rather than a mere story. Not that it's the best movie of all time (sorry, Lawrence of Arabia gets that award from me), but I always highly recommend it because the core ideas are interesting, and the story is told in such a peaceful, respectful way.

Though the plot is definitely tied to the decades old hostilities between the U.S. and the now-defunct Soviet Union (which fell about 4 years after this film was released), the problem of powerful entities at a stand-off is (sadly) a repeating one.I recommend it for any age, but it's definitely aimed at presenting adult themes to young minds.

Athletes For Disarmament

[bkoganbing · 5/10 · 2 April 2008]

Chuck as played by Joshua Zuehlke is a young Little League pitcher with nothing on his mind but the pressure of the season opener. But his small Montana town is the home of some nuclear missile silos and he gets a tour of one. He's a bright kid and when he questions what if they're used and the other side uses them as well, he gets an answer that's all too graphic.

Young Mr. Zuehlke gives up the Little League in protest and his small human interest story catches the attention of professional basketball player Amazing Grace Smith played by Alex English. Partly due to a fairly recent personal tragedy he's suffered he joins the young Little Leaguer out in Montana and then some players from other professional sports join as well.

The two athletes professional and amateur are the story, dwarfing such name players as Jamie Lee Curtis who is English's sports agent and Gregory Peck as the President of the United States who finds his hand in negotiating with the Russians compromised.

Amazing Grace And Chuck got dated and very quickly by the collapse of the Soviet Union. We started having to deal with a much different world than what President Peck was confronted with. There are no easy answers out there and the threats have multiplied with both ecological and biological terror a possibility as well.

Still Amazing Grace And Chuck was a sincere effort at presenting the pacifist point of view.

Not as dated as you might think

[nelsonbatistaaudiovisuais · 7/10 · 20 November 2017]

I remember catching this movie on cable as a teenager at the end of the eighties and started watching because I was a Gregory Peck and Boston Celtics fan (as well as Jamie Lee Curtis and William Peterson) but was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. Yes, as many here have stated, this isn't realistic but neither is it supposed to be. I consider it a well-made and well-acted movie fable with it's heart in the right place. Although the context of the US-USSR arms race no longer applies, this movie has become relevant again in the context of the national anthem protests by sports athletes. Such as in this movie, economic and political interests conflict with athletes making a stand. Imagine if instead of kneeling to protest police violence and racial injustice, pro sports athletes stopped playing (even if only for one weekend) to make their point, as they do in this movie? How would the powers that be react to that? I only wish we really had someone like Gregory Peck as President... This movie deserves a viewing; it's a fine sports-related, family-oriented movie and Gregory Peck is always a good reason to see this.

So awful it might be worth your time

[ricandersen · 1/10 · 8 February 2005]

One of the five worst movies I have ever watched. And I'm not exaggerating. In fact, I recommend watching it so you can get the same feeling of incredulity as you might by watching Showgirls.

Out of 400 votes, the movie gets a user rating of 5.3/10. But there is a disproportionate number of voters who gave it a 10/10, probably due to the message of the movie - nuclear weapons are the bane of mankind. Chuck Murdock is an all-star little league pitcher who gives up baseball because there are nuclear weapons. Soon "Amazing Grace" Smith is an all-star Boston Celtic who is inspired by Chuck's story and gives up basketball. Soon all sports leagues from the professional level to college to high school to little league dismantle in a world-wide protest. Later all the children of the world go on a silence strike. This inspires the President of the United States to meet with the Soviet Premier, who in time agree to eliminate all nuclear weapons in time for the start of the next Little League season. The movie ends with Chuck about to throw out the first pitch, with the President telling his new best friend Chuck not to worry about striking out every batter, as he hasn't thrown a baseball in a year.

Somewhere along the line a nefarious underworld boss kills Amazing Grace. When the President finds out he is told that the FBI can verify the killer but will never be able to prove it. So the President calls the underworld boss ("But it's one a.m." "I don't care, get him on the line") and tell him that he is to resign from all company boards that he sits on and sell all stocks that he has. And to not get out of line again.

Honestly, this movie was so crappy that I couldn't turn it off. It was on television from 2:30 am to 4:00 am, and I watched it all. I wasn't turned off by the anti-nuclear weapons propaganda. I was turned off by the implausible break down of all organized sports. I don't even understand why "Amazing Grace" Smith was killed. And with all these famous athletes becoming Chuck's friends, why the father was constantly upset with his son taking a principled stand. And there was the cliché moment near the end when dad tells Chuck, "I never told you this, but I'm proud of you." Cue hug.

A good Cold War movie

[Kurt_Pearson · 7/10 · 29 January 2006]

I put this movie in the same genre as "Dr. Strangelove" and "War Games". It is a movie containing a message that was highly relevant to those of us who were 20 something when it came out. It was relevant to those who worried about M.A.D. (mutually assured destruction) as the only way a "Super Power" was guaranteed to win a global nuclear conflict. It is stated at the beginning of this movie that it is an "adult fairy tale." Of course, this message cannot be seen by those whose greatest calling in life is to download the latest ringtone, or keep up with the emails on "My Space". There was a time when our planet was threatened, and people of conscience made movies voicing their concerns. The idea of professional athletes forsaking their livelihood and dreams for a greater cause is an incredible fiction. One that is even more fictitious with today's athletes. This is not a great movie, but it is one worth watching that carries with it the message that we can achieve great things if we're willing to give up our selfishness and seek something greater than ourselves.

Have to agree with pierredb

[garyblack · 1/10 · 14 August 2005]

This was among the STUPIDEST and PREACHIEST of the anti-nuke films out of the 1980s.

The idea that a kid and a basketball star could "change the world" is pretty far-fetched, given how many "children's peace marches" and "celebrity protests" there were and ARE.

But the idea that the Soviet Union would agree to a TOTAL nuclear disarmament, because some apparatchik kids learned of a "silent protest" in the West, is ludicrous.

What ended the Cold War? America's tough, dare I say "Reaganesque" stance and the internal failures of socialism. It was NOT the peace marches, the "die-ins" or films like "Amazing Grace & Chuck", "Miracle Mile", or "Testament".

A Wonderful Idea

[ChrisNYC · 10/10 · 12 April 2001]

Hey, there are worse reasons to make a movie than the hope that a kid and a few professional ballplayers might be able to change the world. Is Alex English a fantastic actor? No... but he's believable. And if you are willing to suspend your disbelief about the plot, you can have an amazing ride with this movie. It's a great idea... and the movie plays it off pretty darned well.

Nothing wrong with a movie that make you believe that a dream could happen.

Warning: boring

[Isis-8 · 1/10 · 9 May 2005]

This movie is a bad memory from my childhood. This is one of those movies that they show kids on a rainy day at school when you can't go out for recess, and you'd rather be watching anything, ANYTHING else. At least that's what it was like when I was in elementary school. I just remember HATING this movie. Granted, I haven't seen it in 15 years or so, and they probably don't use it on rainy days anymore but I just want to warn everyone: You'd be better off using this to put your kids to sleep than entertaining them. Trust me, pick anything else. Even though the topic is kind of controversial, the plot is so tame and slow that I can't remember anything about it except that I disliked it so strongly that here, 15 years later, I felt the need to warn all of you against it.

Says amazing things about the human spirit!

[dannar69 · 10/10 · 18 September 2001]

While ultimately this movie may be incredibly unrealistic, Amazing Grace and Chuck still has an important and powerful message about the need to make sacrifices for something you truly believe in. An outstanding performance by the cast solidifies this movie as one of my favorites.

Pretty Preachy

[adukovic · 3/10 · 29 May 2005]

I can't imagine anyone would ever, in a million years, want to watch this movie. Not because it was one of the worst ever made (it wasn't), but largely because it's about 20 years old and oh-so-out of the mainstream. I was trying to find out where I saw an actor before and this popped up. So, yeah, a kid stops playing little league because he doesn't like nukes, this prompts major media attention and a quick resolution to the cold war. The end. A fantasy, to be sure, but one so cockeyed it would make John Lennon blush. Since terrorism has replaced communism as the -ism that scares the hell out of us, this movie really has no relevance, except as an (innaccurate) look back at those times. The writing, acting, and film craft are similarly undeveloped. The reason I rated it as highly as I did was because I watched this movie around 50 times while I was 5-6 years old and still have a little place in my heart for it, but I now realize that it doesn't quite cut mustard. So, if the law of large numbers holds true and someone eventually does decide to check out this movie, realize that there are much better ways to spend your time, but also much worse ones. (I will refrain from a John Q. tirade for now.)

It gets me every time

[kronick · 2 August 2004]

I saw this movie years ago and have never forgotten it.

The story is of a young boy protesting nuclear weapons by refusing to play Little League baseball. Professional players join in his fight when they hear of his cause. While in this day and age its somewhat unlikely, it offers a great feeling of hope, of truly believing in something, and sacrificing luxuries for the greater good of the world. I love this movie, its not flashy but it touches the heart. Maybe I am a sap, but I don't think I have had one viewing of this movie without being brought to tears. See this movie at least once. Its worth it.

If you show this movie to your children, there is an emotional (but not graphic) death in this movie.

Amazing Crap

[pierredb · 1/10 · 31 July 2005]

I've no idea what dimwit from San Francisco came up with this stupid plot, but apparently they need to get off whatever drugs they are taking and put their analyst on danger money -- NOW.

Yeah, this is a plausible story, if you regard the alien abduction sequence in "Life of Brian" as plausible.

This film is little more than a leftist pipedream. Had the US and USSR give up nuclear weapons, the result would've been to eliminate the only real obstacle that kept the two from engaging in a war. Bad as Korea, Vietnam and other wars of the era were, they were "proxy wars" fought to keep the superpowers from a direct engagement.

This film makes me think about how realistic it was when some group of high school kids would go on a hunger strike against nuclear proliferation. As if someone would say "Mr. President, some kids at Drastic High are not eating!" and Ronald Reagan would reply "My God! I'd better revise my Defense policy!" Right.

Like this film? Wouldn't it be better if the Soviet Union would've collapsed because they could not support their massive arms build... wait, that happened!

It it was better, it could be merely terrible

[rhwells · 1/10 · 17 September 2007]

This film reminds me of how college students used to protest against the Vietnam War. As if, upon hearing some kids were doing without cheeseburgers in Cow Dung Collehe, the President was going to immediately change all US foreign policy.

The worst thing is that, while dangerous, the concept of a policy based on if the USSR and US went to war it could mean the end of the world, WORKED. The US and USSR NEVER WENT TO WAR.

Had we only conventional weapons, the notion of yet another war, a "win-able" war, in Europe and Asia was not unthinkable.

Not that I think they should get rid of this movie. It should be seen by film students as a splendid example of "How NOT to make a film."

It should be 0 stars or maybe black holes...

One of the best Kid's Movies ever

[wdemurjian · 9/10 · 6 April 2005]

Provided you are capable of a "willful suspension of disbelief" regarding the implausible plot premise, this is a delightful movie. Truly one of the best kid's movies of all-time (right up there with "The Sandlot").

This movie combines some well-known stars (Gregory Peck, Jamie Lee Curtis, and William Peterson) with some surprising debuts (Joshua Zuehlke as Chuck and former NBA great, Alex English, as Amazing).

The story is heart-warming, with some genuine tear-jerkers, and the closing is uplifting (though a tad predictable). There are some surprises, a few quotable lines, and lots of inspiring moments.

I can't recommend this enough, if you want to believe that anyone can make a difference in this mixed-up world of ours.

The worst film I ever showed in 8 years of theatre management

[jalapenoman · 1/10 · 4 September 2005]

I spent eight years running movie theatres in the 80's and 90's. This was, by far, the worst film I ever showed to the public. One thing that made it so bad was that it put on airs of trying to be a great, inspiring film. Even the great Gregory Peck could not save this horrid piece of drivel from being far less than mediocre. Jamie Lee Curtis, in an early non-horror film role, demonstrated clearly that she had not yet learned to act (she's still trying, but it isn't getting much better).

I'm sorry, and here's the spoiler, international nuclear disarmament is never going to happen just because it makes children afraid to play little league baseball! Even the shows on Nick and The Disney Channel are not stupid enough to try to make us believe that dreck.

This is not worth the time you would waste watching it on cable TV. It is not worth the price of a movie rental; your dollar would be better spent on an extra package of microwave popcorn to go with the other movie you picked (because it can only be better than this).

Wonderful and sad

[amwoods13 · 10/10 · 12 November 1999]

Who'd have thought that sappy movie starring an ex-pro athlete about nuclear disarmament would be this terrific. While the big theme--nuclear disarmament--is always omnipresent, it is the small themes of the movie--family, friendship, hero worship, life priorities, peer pressure--that make Amazing Grace and Chuck so watchable and, ultimately, sure to make you cry. Amazing Grace and Chuck sounds corny, but is really moving. It is a movie I can see over and over.

Worst Movie I've ever seen

[paulco-2 · 1/10 · 29 August 2001]

I saw this in the summer of 1990. I'm still annoyed by how bad this movie is in 2001.

Implausible plot. You'd have to be a child to think this could happen.

I'm just really annoyed by it. Don't see this.

This movie brings a new meaning to the word "BAD"

[rhwells55 · 14 October 2001]

This movie is BAD. A stupid premise, a bad script, less realism than Disney could hope for, and poor execution.

It is bad in every possible dimension of badness. Bad acting, bad directing, bad writing, bad script, bad editing...

Well, maybe it wasn't THAT bad, but LORD, it wasn't good!

So ludicrous as to defy description

[Fortcourage-712-911498 · 1/10 · 20 September 2021]

Calling this steaming pile of 80's anti-nuke crap banal is underselling it by a mile. A 12-yr old tours a Minuteman site and has nightmares causing him to stop pitching for world peace. Who wrote this? Another 12-yr old? Naive, ridiculous, preposterous.... I've run out of adjectives. What exactly did he give up? He'll never pitch little league again. That'll show the Russians. And having the sports world join in....beyond stupid. Those entitled millionaires wouldn't give up their paychecks that easily. And no POTUS would give this kid five minutes, let alone negotiate with him over nuclear disarmament. The Russians would look at us and say, "meh...fire the missiles comrade. The Americans are weak." Please.... SKIP THIS MOVIE. You have been warned.

A young boy stands up for what he thinks is right and wins.

[rmarcel · 10/10 · 5 March 2002]

I watch this movie every time it's on HBO and enjoy it every time. I just purchased it for my grandkids. I think it show kids that adults do listen when given the chance. Especially since 9/11, I think they need to see that their ideas of peace should be looked at closely. Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best.

Totally under-rated feel-good movie with a message.

[bruin-1 · 10/10 · 25 May 2001]

A remarkably enjoyable movie that's particularly entertaining for sports fans and anyone who's not a raging right-wing hawk. Alex English is so engaging & natural that I'm surprised he hasn't done more acting.

A Fable of Love 💕

[pik923 · 9/10 · 18 March 2022]

Lovely film, a fable, completely unlikely since greed rules most sports men and women. But they aren't as important as the children

In light of the world watching the irrational irresponsible Russian aggression this film in March 2022 takes on a new Bettina a new glance into the fears the caring the concerns the realities of how destructive and how healing people can be. Here a child rises above the mundane to state his case with the help and support of one brave NBA star.

I rented it on iTunes and will watch it again over the next 48 hours again and again.

You're never too young for passion and commitment.

[jambalayaval · 2 June 2004]

When this movie came out in the late '80s, it spoke out about nuclear proliferation. But the central themes of passion and commitment resonate beyond the time and the cause. Even if you don't agree with or understand Chuck's refusal to play Little League until all the nuclear silos are cleared, you have to believe in his determination to be the one person who makes a difference.

You don't have to be a sports fan or a political activist to be affected by this film, which combines laughter, tears, dedication and not a few plot twists. Newcomers to the fandom of William Petersen will appreciate his performance as a very conflicted father, trying to do right by his family and his country.