Based on a true story, "The Final Season" recounts the last year of Norway, Iowa’s high school baseball team. As the Norway Tigers attempt to win their 20th and last state championship, the audience is taken on a predictable and sugary, yet eventually feel good ride.
Norway is Baseball
If Texas is all about football, then Iowa is all about baseball. Norway, a town with just under 600 residents, lives for the game and lucky for them, they have a rock solid team every year. Most of the town comes out to watch team practices and many businesses even shut down during the playoffs. Unfortunately for these people, all this comes to an end in 1990 when the state school board decides to merge Norway with another district, effectively putting an end to the baseball dynasty.
The Major Players
When long time head coach Jim Van Scoyoc, played by Powers Boothe is let go in order to further the school board’s agenda, former assistant coach Kent Stock, played by Sean Astin takes over. While Stock struggles to keep his team motivated in their quest for a final championship, the audience is introduced to several of the town’s residents and key ballplayers, most notably Mitch Akers, played by Michael Angarano, who is a rebellious, angry teen from Chicago trying to overcome his mother’s death.
The Result
The first half of "The Final Season" is a little rocky with stilted, obvious performances and schmaltzy scenes. The second half seems to even out a bit and manages to make the audience care about the team. However, as the story transitions from the team’s 19th championship to the town’s angry reaction over the school merger to Norway’s quest for the final championship, the story never scratches beyond the surface of character issues and motivations. As a result, relationships, conflicts and resolutions are never fully realized or dealt with, leaving the film with missed opportunities to provide more affecting subject matter.
Star Players
Even though the acting can be stiff at times, there are a couple stand out performances. Michael Angarano, as the troubled Mitch Akers is charming and likeable beneath his bad boy exterior. At the other end of the spectrum, comedian Larry Miller brings his biting sarcasm to the role of a local sports reporter, which provides welcome relief to the otherwise safe tone of the film.
While the story is light and predictable, it does provide some genuine laughs and manages to culminate in a feel good ending that even cynics can appreciate. "The Final Season" may not be the most effective sports movie ever produced, but at it’s core is a movie the whole family can sit down and enjoy together.
"The Final Season" hits theatres on October 12th.
www.finalseason.com
