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MESSAGE IN THE MOVIES

Remember that great 1993 film Rudy? It was based on the uplifting true story about a college kid with dreams who simply wanted to play football for Notre Dame. It was a little movie about an otherwise unknown athlete, but it was told with such sincerity and heart that it remains one of my favorite sports films.

The Hill comes thirty years after that masterpiece with a screenplay co-written by Angelo Pizzo, the writer of Rudy and 1986’s Hoosiers. This film tells the uplifting story about Rickey Hill (Ford), the son of a small-town Texas preacher (Quaid). He is born with severe physical disabilities but has dreams of playing major league baseball even though his father wants him to go into ministry.

I was expecting a predictable but entertaining faith-based film.

Much to my delight, The Hill works best as a parody of inspirational sports films. I started laughing early on when young Rickey (Jesse Berry) is so poor he has to practice batting hitting a rock with a big stick. Their family is so destitute that their supper is a piece of cornbread. Arriving at a new church, Pastor Hill decides to speak out against the use of tobacco during a worship service, which angers the congregation enough to get the family packing and on the road. The family car leaves with possessions on its rooftop with Gram – played by Bonnie Bedelia – along for the ride. Just when I started getting vibes from television’s The Beverly Hillbillies, the movie swerved and stuck in a joke that could have been part of 1983’s National Lampoon’s Vacation.

It's all here. Bible quotes galore. An inept preacher who doesn’t really know how to parent. A feisty grandmother who speaks her mind. A faithful childhood sweetheart who keeps showing up to cheer Rickey on. Crucial sports tryouts that somehow manage to give Rickey extra opportunities. Cheap leg braces that will just have to be shaken off one of these days.

I kept waiting for The Hill to settle down and move me away from my snarky appraisal but the movie keeps the corn popping right up to Rickey’s moment of victory. My wife defended this film for all the right reasons, but I commented that it could have been recast with Will Ferrell and Danny McBride and be a great comedy without having to change a line of dialogue.

Of course, that’s not necessary. The Hill is an entertaining movie that can be enjoyed as a sincere sports film and a spoof of a sincere sports film.

One critical caveat: I was amazed at how many Christian themes are a part of The Hill and yet it features a terrible depiction of church and no specific mention of Jesus Christ. This might work fine as a “family night out” for your congregation, but it does religion no favors.

Halo and Pitchfork Rating:

Four halos: An inspirational sports picture filled with scenes of redemption, forgiveness, perseverance, and lots of laughs.
One pitchfork: Tobacco juice streaming; some mild swear words; mild violence and threats of a belt whupping.

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