Eephus
This review contains spoilers
This is one of those movies where I'll never rewatch it, but I'm glad I was urged to watch it. In my review for 2017's A Ghost Story I said, "before I knew it I realized it was subtly fucking me up." I wasn't fucked up by this in the same way, but I think it's on the same spectrum.
Truthfully, it touched me on a personal level. While I do miss playing sports with my friends when I was younger, I was reminded of a YouTube Movie Awards show me and a buddy do every year, where it's always one of the things we look most forward to doing each year. And then as the recording process goes on, a sadness looms over, and once it's over, it's like, that was a lot of fun, but now we have to wait a long time to do this again. Only in this movie, this is it. It's done.
At first it's a little more jovial. They're more excited, despite knowing it's the last time. It really showcases what it's like to play ball with friends, from the yelling and roasting each other, to the pacing, to sitting in the dugout and shooting the shit. Even though it's not that funny, I still smiled because during this period, it's charming. You can see yourself in it.
Then the day goes on and they start getting tired, and while it's still somewhat cozy, there is some tension and more hostility, but it's here where the movie shows its true hand. It gets contemplative, but not in a loud, obnoxious way. It's subtle. Some of them want to end the game but most feel obligated to finish it. They could end the game earlier and confront reality earlier in the process, but they're both prideful and hesitant so they see it through.
And course, even as darkness descends upon them, they avoid quitting earlier by riding their vehicles up to create light. Maybe the most symbolic gesture in the entire movie. Also one of the funniest. But I totally get it.
This is a slice of life film in the most genuine sense. "Nothing" happens. It's just one game of baseball, and it's not like it's the MLB. You see the downtime, it plays out with the pacing of a game. People make fun of each other. I dig how it sticks to just what takes place during the game.
You don't get the feeling that they're all best friends or anything (as evidenced later on when someone says about hanging out and the one guy is very noncommittal), but these men shared something special. I remember a basketball tournament I went into when I was younger, and though I was on a different team than my only friend there, and I don't remember anything about any of my teammates that day, I still look fondly on what we accomplished (and didn't accomplish).
I mean, listen, I'm not sitting here bawling over it, and I didn't tear up during it either. It doesn't hit emotionally on that level. It hits on some deeper, nostalgic level, as it hits on humanity in a way that isn't at all blunt. And shit, as I write this, that really becomes more truth and is hitting me harder. Fuck it, I was originally going to rate this a 75 but I'll up it to an 80.
Truthfully, it touched me on a personal level. While I do miss playing sports with my friends when I was younger, I was reminded of a YouTube Movie Awards show me and a buddy do every year, where it's always one of the things we look most forward to doing each year. And then as the recording process goes on, a sadness looms over, and once it's over, it's like, that was a lot of fun, but now we have to wait a long time to do this again. Only in this movie, this is it. It's done.
At first it's a little more jovial. They're more excited, despite knowing it's the last time. It really showcases what it's like to play ball with friends, from the yelling and roasting each other, to the pacing, to sitting in the dugout and shooting the shit. Even though it's not that funny, I still smiled because during this period, it's charming. You can see yourself in it.
Then the day goes on and they start getting tired, and while it's still somewhat cozy, there is some tension and more hostility, but it's here where the movie shows its true hand. It gets contemplative, but not in a loud, obnoxious way. It's subtle. Some of them want to end the game but most feel obligated to finish it. They could end the game earlier and confront reality earlier in the process, but they're both prideful and hesitant so they see it through.
And course, even as darkness descends upon them, they avoid quitting earlier by riding their vehicles up to create light. Maybe the most symbolic gesture in the entire movie. Also one of the funniest. But I totally get it.
This is a slice of life film in the most genuine sense. "Nothing" happens. It's just one game of baseball, and it's not like it's the MLB. You see the downtime, it plays out with the pacing of a game. People make fun of each other. I dig how it sticks to just what takes place during the game.
You don't get the feeling that they're all best friends or anything (as evidenced later on when someone says about hanging out and the one guy is very noncommittal), but these men shared something special. I remember a basketball tournament I went into when I was younger, and though I was on a different team than my only friend there, and I don't remember anything about any of my teammates that day, I still look fondly on what we accomplished (and didn't accomplish).
I mean, listen, I'm not sitting here bawling over it, and I didn't tear up during it either. It doesn't hit emotionally on that level. It hits on some deeper, nostalgic level, as it hits on humanity in a way that isn't at all blunt. And shit, as I write this, that really becomes more truth and is hitting me harder. Fuck it, I was originally going to rate this a 75 but I'll up it to an 80.
Mini Review: Has the pacing of a baseball game. At first it's somewhat cozy, like you're hanging with the boys, playing some ball, complete with the typical roasting that guys do to each other. It's not hilarious but it's charming. Then it gets contemplative as you watch this final game of ball, and as the sky gets darker, real world truths and reflections subtly seep their way in, mirroring what these characters feel, leaving you with a sadness that it's gone but a happiness that it was ever there at all.
