Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Home Run Blu-ray Movie Review

Does this film hit hard or strike out?

Reviewed by Martin Liebman August 1, 2013

Nothing great happens when you hold back.

A popular refrain these days says that the world just isn't what it once was. That's true -- in far more ways than the spirit of that pronouncement suggests -- and perhaps there's a faster rate of decay in traditional values and moral standards than there once was, but the truth is that the world has never been a particularly good place, at least not since that fateful day when a bite was taken out of the forbidden fruit. The answer to the growing ills of the world, however, doesn't lie in media, politics, or the always-on, fast-paced, 24/7 lifestyle of the 21st century. The answers lie within, but also with the help of people who want to help, who want to be that light, who shine brighter in a darkened world and who don't necessarily seek out those they can help but who don't look the other way when a wayward soul is brought to their doorstep. Home Run is a touching film about higher purposes and the role of a higher calling in personal redemption, of escaping a dark past and propelling towards a brighter future, brighter not just outwardly but inwardly, too. It's the story of discarding earthly ways and rewards in favor of living a faith-based, morally sound, and family-centered life rather than one of drink, pain, and grudgingly wrestling with the past with every breath and each step that only carry one further from salvation.

Escaping from the shadow of past hurts.

Cory Brand (Scott Elrod) seemingly has it all going for him. He's a professional baseball player raking in the dough and piling up the stats. But he has a not-so-secret addiction: alcohol. He comes from an alcoholic family; his father drank, as did his father's father before him. Cory learned to hit the baseball when his drunken father would force him to bat behind the old family barn in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. When an adult Cory gets a hit and sprints towards home for an inside-the-park home run, the opposition tags third base and the umpire calls him out. Cory missed the bag on the way home. He loses his cool and, in the process, accidentally bloodies the nose of the team's young bat boy, who happens to be Cory's adoptive nephew, a family member he's never met and never knew despite his brother Clay's (James Devoti) repeated letters and photographs. Cory is suspended for an extended amount of time. After a PR photo op with his nephew to patch things up with the media, his agent (Vivica A. Fox) enlists him in a faith-based 12-step recovery program called "Celebrate Recovery." Clay is forced to return to his old hometown of Okmulgee where he's to coach his brother's little league team after involving his brother in a severe drunken driving accident. Now, he's forced to confront his past -- including rekindling with an old flame (Dorian Brown) -- and find a future he never knew could exist for him.

Home Run is a solid character study with a message, but not a message that's overwhelming of the plot. It's certainly the focal point, but it's incorporated gently and gradually, not forced on the audience and certainly not introduced and built with no supportive context or purpose. It is a faith-based Christian film, and that's its key ingredient, but there's a very grounded, very real, very approachable structure that allows the message to mesh with the narrative, not dominate it. As Cory slowly comes to terms with who he and from where he's come, he learns that he's not the only person in the world with problems. He also sees that his problems may not be greater or lesser than those others face, but that the answer comes from the same places: openness, togetherness, spiritual comfort, and finally, Christian salvation. He slowly gains an appreciation for the simpler things in life, accepting and understanding his past and pushing forward towards a better tomorrow, but not without setbacks. This is a flawed character who grows, regresses, and grows even stronger through his shortcomings. Cory learns that it's not easy to let go -- even with all the support this world has to offer -- and move on, but that there's certainly an environment for someone like him, a place that promotes faith-based victory over his worldly problems and, just as important, that it's never too late to forgive and not to forget but rather to use those past hurts to propel forward towards a more balanced and deeply satisfying existence.

What makes it all work is that Cory's character isn't just a stand-in for the greater trials and failures of man but a very real, relatable person with fault and a reason behind his failures but also a glimmer of hope and a slow progression to understanding his problems before embracing the solutions he sees work for others. The development from the character who has grown to mirror his father to the accepting and Godly man who takes the steps necessary to escape from that shadow and start the life that will make him whole rather than harmed proves uplifting, spiritually so to be sure but also in an outward, stand-up-and-cheer sort of way. The film lacks flash and the sort of real verbal and physical anger and overtly negative vibes that might have better defined the character and grounded the film in a bit more of a reality-driven manner, but it balances that absence without pandering to its audience's values or dumbing down the situations or the character in the name of keeping things "clean." It's amazing how well it tells its story with keeping things on the up-and-up and practicing what it preaches, in essence. Many other movies could learn a thing or two from Home Run in that regard. No, it's not the most technically polished, big budget sort of film, but for a message-driven picture that will likely find most of its favor from its target audience, it's very well put together, emphasizing its story and relegating everything else to a support role, never hiding behind anything and allowing the story to thrive and the values to flourish, unhindered.

Home Run Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Home Run's high definition transfer isn't a grand slam, a solo shot, or even an inside-the-park round tripper, but it's a solid hit to the wall that goes for extra bases. The image proves fairly well defined, though it's absent the real sharpness and accuracy found on the best images. The HD video source often looks a bit flat, with some pasty details and a generally effective, but mostly unimpressive, color palette. The opening farmland shots look decent; the red barn is a little overpowering while the green grass is a little underwhelming. Red Bulldog uniforms are neither very bright nor very dull. Colors overall fall slightly towards the "bland" side of the ledger. Likewise, fine details are never great, but there are some moments that show good clothing and facial textures. Some close-ups of objects and terrain with a little more complexity can look quite nice. Skin tones don't seem too far off, though that pastiness does sometimes get in the way. Black levels are fine. This is by no means an earth-shattering transfer, but it looks good enough for a fairly small budgeted film.

Home Run Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Home Run doesn't offer a stand-up-and-cheer lossless soundtrack, but the Dolby TrueHD 5.1 presentation certainly accomplishes all that's needed of it. This is a smooth, quality presentation. Opening title music is gently spaced. Vocal clarity is strong and while there's not an explosion of surround activity, the stage feels alive, robust, and satisfying. The track also plays more energized musical elements with the same ease and effectiveness, sometimes with a little bit more in the way of notable surround support. The automobile accident offers some quality elements such as twisting metal and appropriately high volume for the moment. There's not an excess amount of bass, but the crash feels rather intense nevertheless. Ambient effects are presented richly and smoothly, whether at baseball games or when delivering more subtle but no less effective natural elements, like distant thunder and nighttime insects. There's a quality vocal reverberation in a church in chapter four; general dialogue plays in a straightforward manner through the center with natural clarity. This track isn't huge, wide, or even really memorable, but it satisfies in every key area.

Home Run Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Home Run contains a few brief extras.

• Around the Bases (SD, 6:50): Cast and crew examine adding the Celebrate Recovery angle into the film, the film's plot and themes, character arcs, and the positives the film offers.
• Freedom is Possible (SD, 4:22): Real-life pastors discuss the film's effectiveness, its messages, and addiction and breaking free from it.
• Baseball Super Stars Praise Home Run (SD, 3:00): Text quotes from Mariano Rivera, R.A. Dickey, Andy Pettitte, Ben Zobrist, Tim Salmon, Barry Lyons, Craig Stammen, and Dwight Evans.
• National Center for Fathering (SD, 2:15): Carey Casey, NFL player Dustin Colquitt, and Bernie Cerros discusses the importance of fathers in children's lives.
• Be a Dad (SD, 1:00): An ad promoting the benefits of fatherhood.
• Previews: Additional Millennium titles.

Home Run Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Home Run will move and inspire those who give it a chance. Even if the film speaks only to those with an established faith, it will prove a valuable part of the spiritual walk towards better living, reinforcing good values and a Biblically centered way of life. For others, it's a morally sound picture that doesn't force its message but rather gently weaves it into the greater narrative fabric. It's a gentle picture fit for the entire family that should satisfy all audiences open to hearing what it has to say through the goodhearted story it tells. Home Run's Blu-ray release features good video and audio. A few extras are included. The film is only available at Wal-Mart and Christian retailers until October 8, 2013. Highly recommended.