Rating: 
Summary: A Pleasant Surprise
Review: When I went to see this movie with my girlfriend I was just trying to get some relaxation after a week full of stress. I honestly wasn't expecting much out of a Keanu Reeves movie but once again I was surprised. I fully enjoyed this movie and I would definitely watch it again. Keanu Reeves is good but the real stars are the kids.
Rating: 
Summary: hardball
Review: overall despite bad reviews was full of action, comedy and drama. Overall a good movie.
Rating:
Summary: Hardball the ultimate
Review: Hardball was one of the 2 best films of 2001 the other being Save the Last Dance. When the film first came out I myself read many reviews on the film, most of them said it wasn't very good and it could have been much better. But when I saw the movie I thought it was very good. Keanu Reeves played the role of a man that was caught up in his gambling life and needed money to pay off some bets that he had lost, but when he is hired as a baseball team coach he not only becomes a coach and a roll model for the kids that he is coaching but he becomes a friend to all of the kids hat he has began to work with. This film was funny, exciting, and sad. The music in the movie was also very good.
Rating:
Summary: The Greatest Movie
Review: AWESOME MOVIE WON'T BE DISAPOINTED
Rating: 
Summary: Two words: Clee-Shay
Review: "Hardball" is part of the Hollywood genre where impoverished people of color suffer so a self-absorbed white man can find himself (as in "City of Joy" and "Change of Habit"). In this case, a sport used to teach kids about teamwork and sportsmanship. Sports as a coming of age metaphor, boy we haven't seen that in, what, a week?Keanu Reeves plays an unlikeable gambler who finds himself in the highly improbable role as a coach for a group of inner city kids, played sterotypically to the hilt. Reeves appears profoundly uncomfortable in his role as leader, as evidenced by the film's tagline about the most important thing in life is showing up. This badly mangled quip from Woody Allen (a hero of the inner city I imagine) tries to pass for wisdom, despite its incredibly patronizing tone. In any case, there are trials and tribulations for all, but you know everything will work out in the end. Overall, this film ranks as a testimony to Hollywood's political correctness and lack of imagination, with little to offer its viewers.
Rating: 
Summary: Amusing and poignant
Review: Despite some critics' unkind and negative comments I've read, I still find this movie hugely enjoyable. It has scenes that are amusing, touching, and poignant. And also dialogue that made me smile or chuckle, such as when the Catholic school teacher Ms Wilkes (Diane Lane) clarified "I am not a nun", and O Neill's relieved reply "Thank God!". This reply foreshadows what he intends to do, but it is a relief that the story did not digress too much into their love relationship but instead stayed focussed on the dark challenges faced by Conor and the kids' baseball team Kekambas, and the subtle transformation that he goes through from a scruffy, hard-up, compulsive gambler to a clean-cut guy ready to take up a new challenge and new job as Physical Activities Co-ordinator (in charge of games and sports) at the school, offered by Ms Wilkes. It reminds me of the hope and new life that rehabilitation can bring. The African-American child actors did a good job, and though they are not seasoned or professional baseballers, I enjoyed watching them play in such a fun and stylish way, especially the pitcher Miles, who gets his inspiration by listening to a rap song over his headphones. The soundtrack and rap music are very nice and upbeat. The death of the youngest boy, G-Baby, during a street gang shootout, and O'Neill's eulogy (with mental flashbacks) at G-Baby's memorial service, were very sad and poignant. Reeves, at times criticized for his deadpan style and expression, goes through in this movie a gamut of human emotions from start to finish. I think his acting is fine and I enjoy watching him on the screen. Also I find Reeves' "surrender-style" hand-raising mannerism while talking, very charming and characteristic of him. I thought I saw that familiar gesture in another movie... One last thing about his character's name - Conor O'Neill - funny, it seems. It sounds to me like "Corner O'Kneel", and why not? that's exactly what happened...he's terrorized and backed into a Corner by his creditors, and he Kneels in the church on that rainy night to pray that "the Bulls would cover the spread". What a guy. So don't let the critics deter you. Free your mind. When you watch it, look out for those scenes and listen for the lines that are funny, sad, amusing, and touching.
Rating:
Summary: This is a heart opener!
Review: The speech given by Keanu Reeves at the end of the movie made me cried. I think I became a better person for that moment. This movie is quite the contrary to what some people described as "little to no moral" or "the same story line in other movies". Please note that it is based on a true story. These kids are for real. The fear, anger, laughter and tears are not made out of fabrication. What do they expect, really? An academic winning film on the expense of the misfortunate? People who wish to see every movie to be deeper and bigger than life are totally missing the point here. So where is the moral? It is in these kids. Go see the movie and you'll know what I mean.
Rating: 
Summary: Hardball
Review: Hardball is a movie about kids for adults. It's about a bum(Keanu Reeves) who coaches a baseball team full of black kids in the projects. At first he hates it, but as time goes on he understands them better and better. It is your typical level-B sports movie. The story was not deep, the acting was terrible except for Diane Lane, who gave a strong performance.Keanu Reeves gives one of his best performances, but that is not saying much at all considering all the critics make fun of his acting. So in other words, "Don't go see this movie."
Rating:
Summary: A great movie
Review: Wow. Keanu Reeves only gets better and better. He gives another great performance as the messed up gambling low life, Connor O'Neill who finds redemption in training a little league baseball team from the projects. Hardball hits you in all the right places. It's got heart, it's got a great storyline and a great ensemble cast. I was very moved by the performance of the young team of baseball players. You could really feel their struggle to get away from their poverty striken lives by escaping to play baseball and triumphing against the odds. This is a feel-good movie. It lets you know there are people out there who care for others welfare and will do all they can to help, which was very evident. I just wished it had a slightly longer running time, in order to explore the relationship between Connor and Miss Wilkes [played by Diane Lane]. It has a great soundtrack, which I recommend you buy Enjoy!
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Summary: War on the Home Front
Review: This well-done movie reminds us that deep in our cities little children do live in a type of war zone. It is uplifting to realize that if children can somehow get through what they go through on a daily basis so can we all. The acting was top notch from Reeves to the Boys of summer league. Its really great to see a movie that does deal with reality of different places, different cultures and different values. Imagine a good movie with out one bathroom scene or gross out humor.
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