Little Big League Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Little Big League Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 16, 2021

Baseball movies were all the rage in the early 1990s, especially ones involving children and their love of the game. Joining “The Sandlot,” “Rookie of the Year,” and “Angels in the Outfield” is 1994’s “Little Big League,” which had the advantage of a slightly less fantastical premise, exploring the life of a 12-year-old boy who inherits control of the Minnesota Twins. Co-writer/director Andrew Scheinman (co-founder of Castle Rock Entertainment and producer of “When Harry Met Sally,” “A Few Good Men,” and “Misery”) makes a valiant attempt to reduce the sitcom-ish aspects of the premise, focusing on the world of baseball and the trials of being an overworked kid. Not everything connects as it should in “Little Big League,” which doesn’t contain many laughs, but Scheinman finds the spirit of the picture, playing up a remarkable situation with some down-to-earth writing and an enjoyable supporting cast.

Billy (Luke Edwards) is an average 12-year-old kid who also happens to have a complete understanding of the business of baseball, with his grandfather, Thomas (Jason Robards), the owner of the Minnesota Twins. When Thomas passes away, his bequeaths the team and the Metrodome stadium to Billy, who leans on his mother, Jenny (Ashley Crow), and pals Chuck (Billy L. Sullivan) and Joey (Miles Feulner) for support. At first overwhelmed by the situation, Billy quickly learns how to use his knowledge to benefit the team, taking a managerial role, hoping to transform the Twins into World Series contenders, facing players who have no faith in the leadership skills of a child.

The screenplay borders on sci-fi in the way it depicts Thomas as a benevolent and fair baseball team owner (do those exist?), but the rest of “Little Big League” settles into the comfortable groove quickly, with Scheinman searching for any verisimilitude he can find. Instead of playing the concept of a kid manager for big laughs, the material tries to make sense of an outrageous situation, finding Billy not great as a Little League player, but Ginsu-sharp with baseball awareness, using his fandom to power his control of the Twins. Conflict is immediate, and “Little Big League” has fun with agitated players suddenly forced to work for a pre-teen, watching as Billy earns their trust or, in the case of a few underperformers, experience his growing comfort with managerial duties.

The baseball elements of the script are compelling, as Scheinman makes good use of the now departed Metrodome in Minneapolis, capturing the atmosphere of the game while handling its various personalities. A subplot emerges with first baseman Lou (Timothy Busfield), who believes in Billy and also has a thing for Jenny, a widower responsive to the player’s attention. The daily business of baseball is capably handled in “Little Big League,” offering as much authenticity as possible while still tending to the characters, including mischievous and petulant players. Less inspired is Billy’s personal problems, finding his tough schedule forcing him to neglect his friends (who speak like fortysomething screenwriters), and the character grows surly under pressure, resulting in a few clunky scenes of irritability. Also bewildering is the tone of “Little Big League,” which is clearly meant for a family audience, but also contains a semi-elaborate joke about Billy discovering pay-per-view pornography during a hotel stay.

Little Big League Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation offers a slightly softer view of "Little Big League," finding slight detail appreciable with facial surfaces on the ballplayers and the younger actors. Metrodome interiors remain passably dimensional, with decent clarity as cameras explore the now demolished stadium. Exteriors also remain open for inspection, visiting theme parks and suburban areas. Colors are acceptable but aged, with brighter team uniforms and AstroTurf greens. Signage also offers distinct hues, and casual clothing delivers decent primaries. Skintones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory, but not challenged in the brightly lit feature. Grain is decently resolved. Mild clipping is detected. Source has a few stretches of strangeness, with brief color fluctuations around the 36:00 and 74:00 marks.

Little Big League Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix is largely a frontal listening event, with a full sense of dialogue exchanges, offering deep, sharp voices throughout. Scoring cues support with clean instrumentation, including some bass material that's about as close to a low-end response as the track gets. Surrounds offer acceptable atmospherics, mostly detailing Metrodome crowd noise and baseball diamond movement.

Little Big League Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "Little Big Role of a Lifetime" (22:40, HD) is an interview with actor Luke Edwards, who recalls his initial casting for "Little Big League," going through waves of auditioning to get the part. Not a baseball expert, Edward is humorously mortified by his know-it-all performance, which was helped along by game fanatics (and writers) Gregory K. Pincus and Andrew Scheinman. Dealing with a massive role that require his presence in most scenes, Edwards admits the pressure was difficult at times, but reinforces the happy nature of the shoot, including extended time inside an empty Metrodome in Minneapolis, also tasked to play to a real sold-out crowd for the final shot. Co-stars are fondly recalled, along with actual baseball players such as Ken Griffey Jr. and Randy Johnson. The interviewee explores the dramatic integrity of the ending, and details the feature's journey from a high-testing potential success for Castle Rock to a box office bomb, though cult longevity for the picture remains. Edwards also shares his thoughts on growing up on film, having a collection of movies to chart his development.

• "Designated Actor" (32:13, HD) is an interview with Timothy Busfield, who was involved with the stage version of "A Few Good Men" around the time of development on "Little Big League," making him an easy fit for the Castle Rock production. Already a ball player, Busfield fit easily into the part, undergoing an intense preparation period with the Minnesota Twins to help him become a lefty batter and first baseman. Professional ballplayers are recalled, watching them work with difficult Hollywood moviemaking standards, and Busfield has a lot to share about director Andrew Scheinman, responding to his constant composure behind the camera. Co-stars are remembered and Metrodome memories are offered. The interviewee analyzes the ending of "Little Big League," and recalls its disastrous box office performance, opening against "The Lion King." Busfield closes with his thoughts on fan appreciation and the realism of the baseball presented in the feature.

• Behind-The-Scenes Featurette (5:12, SD) is an EPK offering that primarily focuses on co-writer/director Andrew Scheinman, who details story points, character business, and his baseball vision. Some BTS footage is provided.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:53, HD) is included.

Little Big League Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Little Big League" is more cute than truly funny, including scenes where the team helps Billy with his math homework and enjoy the game again, with the new manager learning to adjust his style to more cantankerous players. Helping the cause are acting talents such as John Ashton and Dennis Farina (as the volcanic original manager of the Twins), and the feature's two hour run time certainly allows for a full sense of stadium appreciation and baseball action, including a satisfying conclusion. Scheinman sticks with the basics in his one and only directorial offering, loading the movie with montages and simple dramatics, but he finds a way to make the potentially cartoon story work, making "Little Big League" feel authentic even when it isn't.