Anthony's Film Review - The Sandlot (1993)

The Sandlot is a decent family film about friendship and the joys of childhood...

The Sandlot is a movie I could appreciate as both a kid and an adult. I first saw it in 1993 when I was still just a child and saw it once again more than ten years later. Both times, I nodded with approval. It's a simple yet entertaining portrait about life as a young boy and the various adventures that create nothing but fond memories. While it's not the greatest movie ever, it's still something to see. If you're worried that The Sandlot is boring, forgettable, or dull, rest assured. It isn't.

If this movie sounds like an episode of The Wonder Years, it should. The story focuses on a boy named Scotty Smalls, and it's narrated by this same character who is now a grown man. We see the young Scotty spending time alone in his room, and soon, his mother comes in and urges him to spend time outside with some friends instead. It seems like a challenge at first for the boy, but being the decent kid he is, he listens to his mother.

This leads him to a group of boys playing baseball. Scotty doesn't fit in at first because he doesn't know how to play the game or even throw a ball. But one boy gives Scotty a chance. Pretty soon, Scotty becomes a part of the group. Of course, baseball isn't the only thing the boys occupy themselves with. As the movie is about the adventures of these boys, there are other situations such as moments at a swimming pool (where one boy purposely drowns in order to kiss an attractive lifeguard) and an amusement park (where one boy vomits during a dizzying ride). The highlight of the movie, though, occurs when, during a baseball game, one boy hits the ball into a backyard with a big dog ("The Beast") and everyone goes to great lengths to try to retrieve the ball.

So how would I describe the movie in emotional terms? Well, I would say it's endearing and sometimes funny. The Sandlot works because it portrays the boys as real kids who seek fun, sometimes wind up into trouble, but always end their day with great memories. It also doesn't try to sugarcoat anything. It just presents life as it is. As a result, I found myself wanting to see what these boys do next and also enjoyed the humorous sequence involving the Beast and the lost baseball.

The Sandlot is simple without too many surprises, but that doesn't stop me from praising it. After all, a movie only has to appeal to an emotion or thought in order to be engaging. Here, the themes of childhood and friendship are things we can all relate to. This is why kids and adults can enjoy The Sandlot together. It is a family film that touches the heart and lets us treasure the memories.

Anthony's Rating:

For more information about The Sandlot, visit the Internet Movie Database.