The Final Season

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0449018/

What is this shit, and why do I keep seeing commercials for it every five minutes on MLB.tv?

"From the director of The Sandlot ..." :

Sean Astin? Are you kidding me? Playing a 24-year-old assistant baseball coach? Jesu christo. This looks awful.

Oh wait, "brief love scenes with Rachael Leigh Cook" ... 8)

 

I haven't seen any ads for the flick on television, and I'm betting I won't see it when it comes out in theaters.

 

buck and mike, let me clarify this for you. This movie will be a big deal here in Iowa because of the storyline (nevermind that Astin is a 24-year old assistant. Hollywood loves to twist facts around anyway).

The Final Season is about little Norway High in Eastern Iowa. Norway has had a long tradition of winning state titles in baseball. 1990 was their final season, as the school closed and consolidated with another district because of dwindling attendance. Former MLB pitcher Mike Boddicker (of Orioles fame) played for Norway. Norway, along with Bancroft St. John (another school that closed) and Kee High of Lansing, they were giants in prep baseball. Kee won their 9th title in 2006.

Astin was cast because they couldn't find anyone who could fill that role.

I'm anxious to see it because 99% of the movie was shot southwest of Cedar Rapids near my buddy's hometown of Walford. Secondly, it will be bittersweet for the cast and crew because on the final day of the shooting, one was killed and two others were seriously injured in a helicopter crash as they were filming the final scene (which was a parade. That's the one spolier I'll toss out).

From what I have heard, Astin, Powers Boothe, and Cook were very nice and got along with the locals during the shoot. Several area prep players were involved in the games during the movie.

If you disregard how Astin is playing a 24 y/o assistant coach, I would give this movie a consideration to see.

 

Thanks for the summary, D-3. I'll probably catch it when it hits HBO. Just gets tiring to see the same overworked plot devices in sports movies these days.

I hope they don't do the same with "The Perfect Game" (about the 1957 Monterrey, Mexico, LLWS champions), which was filmed last month about 4 miles away from where I used to live. That one looks much more enticing ... so far.

 

Trailer now out: http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/thefinalseason/

 

I've seen all kinds of ads for it on TV, but I didn't really know what it was about the first time I saw it. Part of me kinda wants to see it, the other part doesn't.