The Perfect Game
Encyclopedia
The Perfect Game is a 2009 American drama film
directed by William Dear
, and based upon the 2008 book of the same name written by W. William Winokur. The film is based on a true story dealing with the events leading to the 1957 Little League World Series
, which was won by the first non-American team, the Industriales de Monterrey
, from Monterrey
, Mexico
, defeating the heavy favorite American
team Mexican pitcher Angel Macias threw the first, and so far only, perfect game
in championship game history.
) is laid off from his janitorial job with the St. Louis Cardinals
he moves back to Monterrey. There he meets local children being led by Padre Esteban (Cheech Marin
) enjoying baseball
; he takes pitcher
Angel Macias (Jake T. Austin
) under his wing and brags about his own pitching skills and how he used to coach the Cardinals. Angel convinces Cesar to help recruit and coach Monterrey's first-ever Little League
team. With Cesar's skills and Padre Esteban's support, the boys hone themselves into a competitive team worthy of international competition.
When the team arrives in the United States, they are met with racism
, a language barrier, and visa
troubles. Though the underdogs, the team scores a series of victories that endear them to the media, and new fans. They befriend a sports reporter, Frankie (Emilie de Ravin
) and the groundskeeper, Cool Papa Bell (Louis Gossett, Jr.
), who then assist the boys in reaching the final game.
, Mexico
, who became the first non-U.S. team to win the Little League World Series
in 1957
. It is based on a true story about the little league team, Industriales de Monterrey, nicknamed "Los pequeños gigantes" (The little giants), from Mexico. The team travels to the United States, as the first little league team coming from outside of the US and Canada
, to particpate in the southern area and regional tournaments, which qualified for the Little League World Series
, held every August in South Williamsport
, Pennsylvania
.
The Industriales win all qualifying tournaments, to many rather unexpectedly, and advance to the Little League World Series as the first Mexican team. There, they make it to the finals and defeat the highly favored team from La Mesa, California
, by a score of 4-0. The Pitcher from Monterrey, Angel Macías, threw the first and only perfect game
in championship history.
The film scenes in Monterrey
, which is the leading industrial center, one of the largest Mexican cities for over 100 years and a major center for science and research in Mexico, depicted the city as a two-burro village where the children played ball in the dirt choked streets with pigs and chickens serving as bases. The Border between Mexico and Texas
was portrayed as an out-in-the-middle-of-nowhere border crossing along a dirt road, instead of a bridge border-crossing over the Rio Grande
. The digital work to recreate the separate looks for the United States and Monterrey in 1957 was done by Post Logic Studios.
said he felt that "the film did a nice job of telling the story of the surprise upset when a youth ball team from Monterrey, Mexico, won the 1957 Little League World Series." He also commented that, "although the story seems like a fable, it reflected true events." He further expressed concern over Lionsgate's suspending the original release date. Ben Apatoff of MLB.com felt that the film was a strong family movie that appeals to baseball history buffs or any person who could relate to a child in love with the game. Roger Ebert
wrote: "You sort of know how these underdog sports movies turn out. Doesn't matter. The Perfect Game so expertly uses the charisma and personalities of the actors, especially the young ones, that it's thrilling anyway."
A. O. Scott
of At the Movies said, "[From] the second minute of the movie I knew every single thing that was going to happen and there was not a single surprise." Michael Phillips
of the Chicago Tribune
wrote, "The movie feels fradulent, whether it's sticking to the historical record or going its own way with the customary composites and revisions and fabrications." The film ranking website Rotten Tomatoes
reports that 54% of critics have given The Perfect Game positive reviews, based upon a sample of 39.
invited to the preview. Louis Gosset Jr. was also in attendance for the premiere. The film was originally to be released in theaters on August 8, 2008, but it was bumped from that date, which Lionsgate said was due to marketing monies another party pledged but did not deliver.
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
directed by William Dear
William Dear
William Dear is a film director, producer and screenwriter known for directing Harry and the Hendersons, If Looks Could Kill, Angels in the Outfield, Wild America and Santa Who?....
, and based upon the 2008 book of the same name written by W. William Winokur. The film is based on a true story dealing with the events leading to the 1957 Little League World Series
1957 Little League World Series
The Little League World Series took place during August 1957 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. This was the first LLWS tournament to include a team from outside of the United States or Canada, Industrial Little League of Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico...
, which was won by the first non-American team, the Industriales de Monterrey
Sultanes Monterrey
The Sultanes de Monterrey , are a Mexican League baseball team based in Monterrey, Mexico. They are in the Northern Division.-History:...
, from Monterrey
Monterrey
Monterrey , is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico. The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, defeating the heavy favorite American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
team Mexican pitcher Angel Macias threw the first, and so far only, perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
in championship game history.
Plot
When Cesar Faz (Clifton Collins, Jr.Clifton Collins, Jr.
Clifton Craig Collins, Jr. is an American actor.-Life and career:Clifton Craig Collins, Jr. was born in Los Angeles, of half Mexican descent and the grandson of actor Pedro Gonzalez-Gonzalez. He has sometimes been credited as Clifton Gonzalez-Gonzalez to honor his grandfather...
) is laid off from his janitorial job with the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
he moves back to Monterrey. There he meets local children being led by Padre Esteban (Cheech Marin
Cheech Marin
Richard Anthony "Cheech" Marin is an American comedian, actor and writer who gained recognition as part of the comedy act Cheech & Chong during the 1970s and early 1980s, and as Don Johnson's partner, Insp. Joe Dominguez on Nash Bridges...
) enjoying baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
; he takes pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Angel Macias (Jake T. Austin
Jake T. Austin
Jake T. Austin is an American actor and voice actor. Beginning a career as a child actor at the age of seven, Austin is a five-time Young Artist Award nominee, best known for his role as Max Russo, the youngest of three wizards on the Disney Channel original series Wizards of Waverly Place, and as...
) under his wing and brags about his own pitching skills and how he used to coach the Cardinals. Angel convinces Cesar to help recruit and coach Monterrey's first-ever Little League
Little League
Little League Baseball and Softball is a non-profit organization in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, United States which organizes local youth baseball and softball leagues throughout the U.S...
team. With Cesar's skills and Padre Esteban's support, the boys hone themselves into a competitive team worthy of international competition.
When the team arrives in the United States, they are met with racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, a language barrier, and visa
Visa
Visa or VISA may refer to:* Visa , a document issued by a country's government allowing the holder to enter or to leave that country...
troubles. Though the underdogs, the team scores a series of victories that endear them to the media, and new fans. They befriend a sports reporter, Frankie (Emilie de Ravin
Emilie de Ravin
Emilie de Ravin born 27 December 1981)is an Australian actress. She is commonly associated with her roles as Tess Harding on Roswell and Claire Littleton on the ABC drama Lost....
) and the groundskeeper, Cool Papa Bell (Louis Gossett, Jr.
Louis Gossett, Jr.
Louis Cameron Gossett, Jr. is an American actor best known for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in the 1982 film An Officer and a Gentleman and Fiddler in the 1970s television miniseries Roots...
), who then assist the boys in reaching the final game.
Cast
- Clifton Collins, Jr.Clifton Collins, Jr.Clifton Craig Collins, Jr. is an American actor.-Life and career:Clifton Craig Collins, Jr. was born in Los Angeles, of half Mexican descent and the grandson of actor Pedro Gonzalez-Gonzalez. He has sometimes been credited as Clifton Gonzalez-Gonzalez to honor his grandfather...
as Cesar L. Faz - Cheech MarinCheech MarinRichard Anthony "Cheech" Marin is an American comedian, actor and writer who gained recognition as part of the comedy act Cheech & Chong during the 1970s and early 1980s, and as Don Johnson's partner, Insp. Joe Dominguez on Nash Bridges...
as Padre Esteban - Moisés Arias as Mario Ontiveros
- Jake T. AustinJake T. AustinJake T. Austin is an American actor and voice actor. Beginning a career as a child actor at the age of seven, Austin is a five-time Young Artist Award nominee, best known for his role as Max Russo, the youngest of three wizards on the Disney Channel original series Wizards of Waverly Place, and as...
as Angel Macias - Ryan OchoaRyan OchoaRyan Ochoa is an American teen actor. He is most famous for his role of Lanny on the Disney XD series Pair of Kings and his recurring role as Chuck Chambers on the Nickelodeon series iCarly.-Early life:...
as Norberto Villarreal - Carlos Padilla as Baltazar Charles
- Gabriel MoralesGabriel MoralesGabriel Morales is an actor and freestyle dancer born in Hialeah, Florida . He is best known for his role as Ricardo Trevino in the 2009 Hollywood movie, The Perfect Game.-Life and career:...
as Ricardo Trevino - Jansen PanettiereJansen PanettiereJansen Panettiere is an American voice and film actor, and the younger brother of actress Hayden Panettiere....
as Enrique Suarez - Carlos Gómez as Umberto Macias
- Emilie de RavinEmilie de RavinEmilie de Ravin born 27 December 1981)is an Australian actress. She is commonly associated with her roles as Tess Harding on Roswell and Claire Littleton on the ABC drama Lost....
as Frankie - Patricia ManterolaPatricia ManterolaPatricia Manterola is a Mexican singer, actress, model, and fashion designer born in Mexico City.-Background:...
as Maria - Louis Gossett Jr. as Cool Papa Bell
- William MayWilliam MayWilliam May , also known as William Meye, was an English clergyman and divine, who was nominated Archbishop of York in 1560 but died before election....
as Juan - Bruce McGillBruce McGillBruce Travis McGill is an American actor who has an extensive list of credits in film and television. He is perhaps best known for his role as Jack Dalton on the television series MacGyver and as Daniel Simpson "D-Day" Day in National Lampoon's Animal House.-Early life:McGill was born in San...
as Tanner - David KoechnerDavid KoechnerDavid Michael Koechner is an American comedian, musician, and character actor. Koechner began studying improvisational comedy in Chicago at the ImprovOlympic, under the teachings of Del Close, before joining the Second City Northwest...
as Charlie - Frances FisherFrances FisherFrances Fisher is a British actress. She is known for her work on television, in theater and in films, including roles as Strawberry Alice, the madame prostitute in Unforgiven , and Ruth DeWitt Bukater, the mother of Kate Winslet's character in Titanic .- Early life and education :Fisher was born...
as Betty - Wyatt SmithWyatt SmithWyatt Smith is an American professional ice hockey player who is currently a free agent. He most recently played center with ERC Ingolstadt of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.-Playing career:...
as Jarrett - Marc MussoMarc MussoMarc Thomas Musso is an American actor. He is the younger brother of Disney actor and singer Mitchell Musso and the lead singer of Metro Station Mason Musso.-Life and career:...
as Tommy - Tracey WalterTracey WalterTracey Walter is an American character actor. He has appeared in over 100 films and television shows.-Life and career:Walter was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, the son of a truck driver....
as Police Officer - Samantha BoscarinoSamantha BoscarinoSamantha Joann Boscarino is an American actress.Her first notable role was in the Tyra Banks-produced film The Clique. She also appeared on The Tyra Banks Show with her other co-stars Elizabeth McLaughlin, Ellen Marlow, Sophie Anna Everhard and Bridgit Mendler...
as Gloria
Background
The film is about a group of boys from MonterreyMonterrey
Monterrey , is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico. The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, who became the first non-U.S. team to win the Little League World Series
Little League World Series
The Little League Baseball World Series is a baseball tournament for children aged 11 to 13 years old. It was originally called the National Little League Tournament and was later renamed for the World Series in Major League Baseball. It was first held in 1947 and is held every August in South...
in 1957
1957 Little League World Series
The Little League World Series took place during August 1957 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. This was the first LLWS tournament to include a team from outside of the United States or Canada, Industrial Little League of Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico...
. It is based on a true story about the little league team, Industriales de Monterrey, nicknamed "Los pequeños gigantes" (The little giants), from Mexico. The team travels to the United States, as the first little league team coming from outside of the US and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, to particpate in the southern area and regional tournaments, which qualified for the Little League World Series
Little League World Series
The Little League Baseball World Series is a baseball tournament for children aged 11 to 13 years old. It was originally called the National Little League Tournament and was later renamed for the World Series in Major League Baseball. It was first held in 1947 and is held every August in South...
, held every August in South Williamsport
South Williamsport, Pennsylvania
South Williamsport is a borough in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,412 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
The Industriales win all qualifying tournaments, to many rather unexpectedly, and advance to the Little League World Series as the first Mexican team. There, they make it to the finals and defeat the highly favored team from La Mesa, California
La Mesa, California
La Mesa is a city in San Diego County, California. The population was 57,065 at the 2010 census, up from 54,749 at the 2000 census. It was founded in 1869 and officially incorporated as a city on February 16, 1912. Its official flower is the bougainvillea....
, by a score of 4-0. The Pitcher from Monterrey, Angel Macías, threw the first and only perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
in championship history.
The film scenes in Monterrey
Monterrey
Monterrey , is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico. The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the...
, which is the leading industrial center, one of the largest Mexican cities for over 100 years and a major center for science and research in Mexico, depicted the city as a two-burro village where the children played ball in the dirt choked streets with pigs and chickens serving as bases. The Border between Mexico and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
was portrayed as an out-in-the-middle-of-nowhere border crossing along a dirt road, instead of a bridge border-crossing over the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
. The digital work to recreate the separate looks for the United States and Monterrey in 1957 was done by Post Logic Studios.
Reception
The film has received mixed reviews. Patrick Goldstein of the Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
said he felt that "the film did a nice job of telling the story of the surprise upset when a youth ball team from Monterrey, Mexico, won the 1957 Little League World Series." He also commented that, "although the story seems like a fable, it reflected true events." He further expressed concern over Lionsgate's suspending the original release date. Ben Apatoff of MLB.com felt that the film was a strong family movie that appeals to baseball history buffs or any person who could relate to a child in love with the game. Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
wrote: "You sort of know how these underdog sports movies turn out. Doesn't matter. The Perfect Game so expertly uses the charisma and personalities of the actors, especially the young ones, that it's thrilling anyway."
A. O. Scott
A. O. Scott
Anthony Oliver Scott, known as A. O. Scott , is an American journalist and critic. He is a chief film critic for The New York Times, along with Manohla Dargis.-Background and education:...
of At the Movies said, "[From] the second minute of the movie I knew every single thing that was going to happen and there was not a single surprise." Michael Phillips
Michael Phillips (critic)
Michael Phillips is a film critic for the Chicago Tribune newspaper. Previously he was the drama critic of the Tribune; the Los Angeles Times; the St. Paul Pioneer Press; the San Diego Union-Tribune; and the Dallas Times Herald....
of the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
wrote, "The movie feels fradulent, whether it's sticking to the historical record or going its own way with the customary composites and revisions and fabrications." The film ranking website Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
reports that 54% of critics have given The Perfect Game positive reviews, based upon a sample of 39.
Release
The film screened at the 2009 Guadalajara International Film Festival, with Eva LongoriaEva Longoria
Eva Jacqueline Longoria is an American actress, best known for portraying Gabrielle Solis on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives...
invited to the preview. Louis Gosset Jr. was also in attendance for the premiere. The film was originally to be released in theaters on August 8, 2008, but it was bumped from that date, which Lionsgate said was due to marketing monies another party pledged but did not deliver.
Further reading
- Morrison, Jim, "Little League World Series’ Only Perfect Game", Smithsonian magazine, April 6, 2010
- "Golden Anniversary of Little League’s "Perfect Game" Celebrated", Little League Communications Division, Williamsport, Pennsylvania, October 7, 2008
- Sanchez, Jesse, "History of baseball in Mexico", Major League Baseball (mlb.com), January 7, 2004
- "Sport: Ambidextrous Angel", Time magazine, Monday, Sep. 02, 1957