Monday, October 27, 2014

MovieNotes: Million Dollar Arm

Movie: Million Dollar Arm
*ing: Jon Hamm, Suraj Sharma (of Life of Pi), Madhur Mittal (of Slumdog Millionaire)
Director: Craig Gillespie
Language: English & Hindi
Genre: Sports

Basic Premise
An independent sports agent looking to tap into a new area organises a contest to find the first major league baseball players from India.

Movie Notes
  • As is the wont of the Disney movies, they seem to be pure fantasy till you learn that the movie is based on events which actually happened.
  • The trailer pretty much tells the entire story
  • Any movie where a sports agent who is working on his own will remind of Jerry Maguire.
  • I liked the way the characters have been depicted talking in their own language. The mix of Hindi and English makes the movie more appealing to an Indian audience (although may drive away some of the others)
  • However we change, the depiction of India remains the same - loud, crowded, dirty, animals on the road, sometimes festive, god-fearing and yet carrying a charm of its own.
  • There were numerous depictions of humour arising out of cultural differences, although many were quite cliched. 
  • "No hablo Hindi" - the funniest line of the movie. Why? Because it is delivered by an Indian origin American in India.
  • Pizza - some love it, some just do not. Well everyone's taste is different.
  • The protagonist gets the idea of finding baseball pitchers from India on the evidence of Piyush Chawla's bowling. Pitching in baseball after watching a spinner bowl, that must be a first. Also another feather in Piyush Chawla's cap apart from being part of two World Cup victories.
  • The end montage depicting the adventures of the real protagonists was a good idea.
Rating - 8/10.  Overall a fun watch.

Previously on MovieNotes - The Expendables III