Recently we’ve seen several solid biographical sports dramas come down the movie pipeline. The latest is “The Hill” from director Jeff Celentano. It stars Dennis Quaid who is certainly no stranger to said biographical sports dramas. Written by Angelo Pizzo and Scott Marshall Smith, the film seeks to tell the inspiring true story of Rickey Hill who refused to let his physical disability stop his pursuit of a baseball career.
“The Hill” is a heartfelt and well-intended feel-good feature that is more of a melodrama than a full-on sports story. Obviously baseball plays a key part. But it’s much more about a close-knit yet struggling family, particularly the relationship between a stern and overprotective father and his gifted and determined son. There’s plenty of good material there to work with. But the wildly uneven handling of it leaves the movie oscillating between sincerely touching and overly sentimental.
Since he was a child Rickey Hill (played by Jesse Berry and later by Colin Ford) had a knack for hitting a baseball. But a degenerative spinal disease put him in leg braces as a child making his dream to play in the Major Leagues seem unreachable. Rickey’s strict but well-meaning father James (Dennis Quaid), a small town Texas pastor, discourages him from pursuing baseball out of fear of serious injury. He’d rather Rickey follow in his footsteps and preach. But over time his hardline orthodoxy does more to push his son towards his dream than discourage him from it.
So “The Hill” follows two paths – Rickey’s and his father’s. To its credit, the movie takes its time developing the family dynamic and showing the hardships they faced in 1970 rural Texas. Rickey’s path is one of trials and challenges, but also of unwavering confidence and resilience. James’ path is one of spiritual conflict and stubbornness. But James is no villain. The film does a good job showing how his actions, though often misguided, are rooted in a genuine love for his son.
Several other characters do a good job filling out these two central stories. Gracie (first played by Mila Harris and later by Siena Bjornerud) is Rickey’s self-proclaimed girlfriend who proves to be his biggest encourager. Joelle Carter is really good playing James’ supportive yet frustrated wife Hellen. And it was great seeing Scott Glenn pop up later as the gruff big league scout Red Murff (Scott Glenn). But at the same time the movie is hampered by some really bad performances in smaller yet reoccurring roles. They can be a real distraction.
After a shaky first 30 minutes the movie eventually hits its stride only to be tripped up in a painfully mawkish final 20 minutes that sees Celentano attempt to yank every emotional string, hit every schmaltzy cue, and lean on every baseball movie cliche in the book. There are a couple of surprising cameos in the last 15 minutes including an appearance by the real Rickey Hill. But the movie wraps up on such a false note which ends up being too much for the film’s better moments to overcome. “The Hill” opens in theaters August 25th.
VERDICT – 2.5 STARS
keithandthemovies.com 
Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles is coming out this October ❤️💛💜💙
I have to respectfully disagree with the author of this article on their movie critique. It was definitely a very good movie. Much more entertaining to watch than the same old garbage, sequels, prequels and reboots that Hollywood likes to pump out. It’s a very inspirational and original film based on true events, and if you’re a sports fan, it’s definitely worth a watch. It definitely reminds you of other fine baseball movies like Field of Dreams, The Natural, The Rookie and Eight Men Out. If you’re not into sports movies, of course you’ll obviously be bored, but for those who want something other then another superhero movie or another lame Hollywood flick with the same plot rehashed to make a billion dollars, give it a shot. You might be surprised how good it really is.
Can’t cope with mawk, I’m out!
There is most definitely mawk! 😂
A shame, Dennis Quaid is a fine actor, I’m sorry he isn’t getting better roles.
He’s actually really good in this. Excellent in fact. I just wish the stuff around him was a little better
No thanks. I love a good sports movie and all but one full of overly-sentimental shit.
It starts sentimental, finds its way a bit, and then completely loses it in a syrupy final 15 minutes.
Sometimes I can just tell when something isn’t for me. This is one of those times. lol
I know what you mean. And it’s such a shame. There’s a good story here but it gets so schmaltzy.
Thanks for reviewing this one, I’ll save my time on it. Doesn’t sound all that great and the dad reminds me of my dad. Who, when I was a teenager told me he’d buy me a car if I’d read the Bible and get a haircut (80’s teen). I didn’t want to cut my hair so I read the Bible first then pointed out Jesus has long hair in all the pictures. He promptly told me Jesus also walked or road a donkey.
HAHAHA. I gotta give your dad points there. That was a pretty good comeback. LOLOL
I was practically crawling out of my skin by the last half hour of this film, it was just SO corny. It also bothered me that they depicted smoking in Baptist church services; I was raised Baptist in the 60’s and 70’s, and that just would NOT have happened, smoking was everywhere, but it wasn’t in church, especially a Baptist church. Another scene that really annoyed me was the “bully” character that calls Ricky ‘Robot Boy’ and first pitches to him when they are newly arrived to Bowie, Texas, and appears to be at least 4-6 years older than the preteen Ricky, shows up as pitcher at Ricky’s senior year game, as if they are suddenly the same age; that was a real plot hole. Was that kid held back 4 times? Just so dumb. There was only one couple ahead a few rows from me in the theater, so I googled how Ricky Hill’s baseball career went, and figured I knew enough and could leave the theater about 20 minutes from the end. It’s a shame; the cast was good but saddled with a poor execution and pacing of the story. The cinematography was good, and it had potential, but failed to rise to it.
That entire smoking in church thing felt really off to me too. Weird choice that didn’t make much sense to me.
It’s funny that you skipped out on the final 20 minutes because that’s when the really schmaltzy stuff kicks in! LOL
Thanks so much for reading and taking time to share your thoughts.
Yes, I’d read just enough of the reviews prior to seeing the film to know that the end was the most schmaltzy (though overused, there really is no more appropriate word to use in regards to this entire film) of it all, and I just couldn’t bear to put myself through the agony of it, lol…I have only walked out of a theater a handful of times in the last 30 years of my regular movie attendance; I almost always strive to give the creators of this art the benefit of the doubt amid weak reviews, and hope that they can somehow redeem their mistakes with a few great scenes or a decent ending, but not this time! I can actually enjoy a movie that is a little too melodramatic, sentimental, tugging-too-hard at the heartstrings kind of story if the pacing and the acting is good; a lot of Bollywood movies get this balance just right! This film’s main mistake in my opinion is it dragged in too many places and gave me time to get restless and unforgiving with the way the characters were so one dimensional. I have no problem with, and can really enjoy a slow pace if it’s done with care, but it definitely takes a skillful hand to get it right.
Good mention of Bollywood, Tollywood, etc. They often do get that balance right. And I’m with you on trying to stay with movies till the end. I can count on one hand the times I’ve walked out. That said, there were times I should have walked out and I proved nothing to myself by staying. Other than I have a strong tolerance for pain. LOLOL
Oh yes, I seem to have that same tolerance! 😀
I have to respectfully disagree with the author of this article on their movie critique. It was definitely a very good movie. Much more entertaining to watch than the same old garbage, sequels, prequels and reboots that Hollywood likes to pump out. It’s a very inspirational and original film based on true events, and if you’re a sports fan, it’s definitely worth a watch. It definitely reminds you of other fine baseball movies like Field of Dreams, The Natural, The Rookie and Eight Men Out. If you’re not into sports movies, of course you’ll obviously be bored, but for those who want something other then another superhero movie or another lame Hollywood flick with the same plot rehashed to make a billion dollars, give it a shot. You might be surprised how good it really is.