HOME RUN  2.8***

        First of all, this movie is not really a story about baseball; it is a story about a ball player's slide down into the abyss of human despair. Ultimately, through a 12-step program (the Christian-based Celebrate Recovery), his life is redeemed.

We have all seen quite a few sport-hero-types act out quite badly, due to their addictive / compulsive lifestyles. Many times, they'll apologize to let us see that they are trying to make nice. Some even have to suffer consequences. In Home Run, we catch Cory Brand playing out the same scenario. He messes up badly (includes harming a kid during a game) due to alcohol addiction  then agrees to jump through the hoops to lessen the consequences he has set in motion. If he can charm his way past the media and team he thinks he’ll  come out smelling like a rose. However. instead he gets an 8 week suspension and must agree to help coach a little league team back in his small home town.

As a result Cory  gets a chance to take a  long hard  look at his painful past and end the process that is spiraling out of control - that is, IF he will let himself. As he goes from one chaotic mess to another, Cory begins to slow down long enough to reach out for help. Although the movie portrays a Christian theme for recovery, the movie is not preachy. The stories presented during the recovery scenes were taken from real-life recovery stories; lending a bit of authenticity to the picture. The  Celebrate Recovery 12 –step program shows how real hurts, hang-ups and habits can be healed and  people can be changed for the good and have freedom from shame and our past.

Most Christian movies I have seen do not have very good production values. Story lines tend to be very predictable; and characters and dialog rather one-dimensional and not very realistic. Not so with "Home Run". I  enjoyed Scott Elrod's portrayal of the baseball player in need of repair. I thought the character was entirely believable  The young actors who played the little league team players had their moments, a couple of which were good for a chuckle.

My problem with the movie is that it’s a little too long and spends too much time repeating his continuing failures and screw-ups and not enough time with the recovery process.

Nonetheless, for an uplifting experience with a good Christian theme, I highly recommend this story. It is rated PG 13 for some mature themes involved in the story.

Clark