It strikes out but demands to be called a home run. Give in.
Summer Catch (2001)
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Reviews Counted:83
Fresh:6
Rotten:77
Average Rating:3.1/10
Consensus: Cliched and predictable, Summer Catch is a reminder of better films.
Runtime: 1 hr 48 mins
Genre: Comedies
Synopsis:
This summer couldn't be more crucial for Ryan Dunne (FREDDIE PRINZE JR.), a blue-collar kid with major league aspirations. Every year the hottest college ball players in the country descend upon...
This summer couldn't be more crucial for Ryan Dunne (FREDDIE PRINZE JR.), a blue-collar kid with major league aspirations. Every year the hottest college ball players in the country descend upon Cape Cod to pursue their big-league dreams during the day and blow off steam in town at night. The first local boy in years to earn a slot in the Cape's elite Baseball League, Ryanís finally got his shot...but the temptation to score off the field is almost as intense as the pressure to perform on the diamond.
His eyes on the prize, Ryan tries to stay focused despite distractions like the local girls, who are all too ready to help the players cut loose. Among them are Dede (BRITTANY MURPHY), who impresses the team with her ability to pour a beer without using her hands, and the town's very own "Mrs. Robinson," who is infamous for her annual "initiation" of new recruits like naïve young second-baseman Mickey "Domo" Dominguez (WILMER VALDERRAMA).
As the friction builds between his loyal townie friends and his cocky teammates, college superstars jockeying for the attention of pro scouts Ryan's rivalry with his hotshot teammate Eric Van Leemer (COREY PEARSON) nears the boiling point. His main ally is the team's fun-loving catcher, Billy Brubaker (MATTHEW LILLARD), who's got Ryan's back both on the field and on the town.
The last thing Ryan's looking for is a fling with sexy, sophisticated Vassar grad Tenley Parrish (JESSICA BIEL). Will he rise to the challenge or strike out? Either way, it's gonna be one hot summer. -- © 2001 Warner Bros.
Starring: Freddie Prinze, Jessica Biel, Matthew Lillard, Marc Blucas
Starring: Freddie Prinze, Jessica Biel, Matthew Lillard, Marc Blucas, Wilmer Valderrama, Corey Pearson, Brian Dennehy, Gabriel Mann, Fred Ward, Jason Gedrick, Brittany Murphy, Bruce Davison
Director: Michael Tollin
Director: Michael Tollin
Screenwriter: Kevin Falls, John Gatins
Producer: Michael Tollin, Herb Gains, Sam Weisman
Composer: George Fenton
Studio: Warner Bros.
Reviews for Summer Catch
There's expert direction by Michael Tollin, pleasing performances by the two young stars ... and strong support from a solid supporting cast.
When it comes to funny business, Tollin's got game, and he makes the most of some talented supporting players on his bench.
While Summer Catch doesn't have a particularly smart, savvy script and doesn't cover anything new, it is nice to see a movie about motivated college kids who spend their summer at the ball park.
For the first time in his career, Prinze displays more than two facial expressions and exudes enough charm to appeal to someone over the age of 14.
Not that this is a particularly dispicable film, it just doesn't try to do anything new and delivers mostly wooden performances.
Playing Name That Actor is about the only way to keep yourself awake during this utterly lackluster film.
It's almost any botched play analogy you can think of, though never exciting enough to be compared to a strike-out or even to a wild pitch.
Primarily to blame for this mess is the leaden script by Kevin Falls and John Gatins, which absorbs a bushel of baseball clichs while demonstrating a singular inability to present love, sex or even bawdy jokes.
Summer Catch is supposed to be end-of -summer fun, but it's about as fun as learning to eat your spinach.
It's hard to stop thinking of cliches after you've seen Prinze's latest and worst.
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