A Review of The Hill by Nick Olszyk
Distribution Service: Theatrical
MPAA Rating, PG
CNS Rating, Unrated at the Time of this Review
Reel Rating, Two Reels
Baseball is God’s favorite sport. I don’t have the
space here to go into the specifics, but George Carlin made some good opening arguments. As
such, a film about the national pastime needs a little something extra to be
worthy of the subject. Only a few, most notably Field of Dreams, have succeeded.
The Hill, a new film about a preacher’s son who aspires to be a major
leaguer amidst various setbacks, tries earnestly to join this category but
strikes out in almost every way. At least they got Dennis Quaid out of it.
Ricky
Hill (Colin Ford), like most American boys, has his sights set on the big
leagues. He can hit the ball a country mile but has a major problem. He suffers
from a painful spinal condition that requires the use of leg braces. His
father, a small-town Texan preacher forbids his playing, believing it will only
lead to heartache. Of course, he ends up playing anyway, attracting the
attention of scouts despite his handicap. This leads to a fateful decision that
will not only affect his career but his relationship with his father.
This
story, to put it kindly, has been done before. The braces mirror Forrest
Gump. The back-water kid wanting to go pro feels like Rudy. The
injury-ladened player coming through riffs The Natural. The writers seem
completely unaware of how cliche it appears, leaning in hard on most obvious
tropes. For example, in the final scene where Ricky must prove his worth to a
scout during an exhibition game, the announcer explicitly states no less than
three times that this is his “last chance” to make it. His disability is mentioned
in nearly every scene and gets better then worse then better again in perfect
harmony with the needs of the story. There’s even a childhood
friend-who-was-a-girl who suddenly becomes the beautiful and supportive girlfriend.
The
Hill has one feature, and only one, that stands out as exemplary: Ricky’s
father James, performed wonderfully by Dennis Quaid. This is Quaid’s 2nd
prominent role in an independent Christian film this year, and we haven’t even
seen him as the
Gipper yet. James is an old school traveling preacher, and it gives a keen
look into a world largely unknown to most Christian audiences, especially
Catholics. In many Protestant circles, it is the parish itself that hires the
pastor – often independent any larger structure. In the beginning, James is
unceremoniously fired from his church for pointing out personal and spiritual
faults in the congregation. The whole family must pack all their belongings
into a van and travel in search of a church that will have them.
James
shows remarkable faith, courage, and humility, which he passes onto his son. He
holds no ill will towards his detractors and frequently puts himself at risk
for his congregants. He understands that his family must often suffer for these
struggles, but they stick by his side. His opposition to baseball comes not
from malice but concern which eventually fades into support. His life is both a
good argument for a celibate priesthood but also the love of a true father.
To
be brutally honest, the ending is a letdown. While Ricky overcomes many obstacles,
he never achieves his goal. He does, however, manage to have a dynamic and successful
life full of family, faith, and friends. This is more due to his dad than
baseball, but baseball always helps, and that’s another reason it’s the best.
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