Acensbart
Excellent but underrated film
AshUnow
This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.
Derrick Gibbons
An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.
bkoganbing
I would have thought with the creative talents of Neil Simon writing the script and Hal Ashby behind the camera The Slugger's Wife would have turned out a
lot better. As a baseball film this one is maybe a single.Playing the title role Rebecca DeMornay is an aspiring country singer for whom
baseball player Michael O'Keefe falls big time. O'Keefe is a guy full of promise
who never quite reached his potential. But when she's around O'Keefe starts
hitting home runs with regularity, so much so that the Atlanta Braves vault into
contention for the pennant and O'Keefe starts to threaten the record of 61 set
by Roger Maris in 1961.Soon O'Keefe insists he be at every game as his good luck charm. But DeMornay also has a career she's worked hard at.This film might have been better but Michael O'Keefe acts like such an egotistical jerk it's hard to work up any sympathy for his problem. Is it his
acting, Ashby's direction, or Simon's script. Take your pick.Best acting in the film is from acclaimed director Martin Ritt who plays the
Atlanta Braves manager. He has some interesting motivational techniques.The Slugger's Wife will never be listed as a great baseball film.
wannajava-650-564181
You need : At least 1 witty friend (many would be preferable- better able to "enjoy" this sparkling gem), Lots of the alcohol of your choice, non damaging missiles (popcorn, nerf balls,cats)and a DVD of "The Lonely Lady" (with Pia Zadora!) to have a really good time. This movie is so bad, the effort to find something to laugh about is exhausting. Don't get me wrong, the dialogue is lame enough "You'll hit a home run for a pretty girl but not for me." grumps the ball coach, the Music is Bad, (DeMourney cannot sing but at least they had enough integrity to HAVE her sing?)and the acting is Sad (by the end I was Rooting for the breakup)It should have been fun. A Real Mockfest but the level to which you have to go to Believe this plot, is outrageous and insulting and that kills the mood. Maybe I should have made jello shooters.... If you want a good Dose of Pathetic Apathy from Everyone involved(Neil Simon after his breakup with Marsha Mason and DEEEEP into self reflection and a good director who must have been blackmailed into doing this), or need a test to find out How Witty your friend is, this is your gig. If only anyone in this movie had Tried, really Tried to do something with this mess...It had so much potential to be EPIC BAD, instead? Meh.
marc_xenos
I wasn't part of the production company but hired from the outside for a few scenes. Afterward, I waited for the movie to hit the theaters. When it came out at a local theater on a Tuesday, I decided to wait until the weekend to see it. It didn't last that long. By the weekend, it was gone. Videotapes were still relatively new at that time, and tape rentals were even newer. I had to wait until the early 1990's for it to be released on VHS to see it. And THEN I understood why it never made it to the weekend at the theater, or why it took so long to be released on tape. For what it's worth, MY scenes and even my name never made the final cut. So the ONLY reason I'd even want a copy is that it was my sole (and failed) entry into the movie business.
yafka
This was written by Neil Simon???Basically the plot is about a major league star who is on the verge of breaking Roger Maris's 61 Single Season Home Run Record. He's 10 away from the new record when he and his girlfriend split up and it turns the ballplayer into a wreck and he just drinks and falls down over and over again throughout the movie. His teammates try hard to get him over her before the season ends, by trying to fix him up with hookers and call girls, etc. None of which work.Now despite the fact this guy is suppose to be an all-star and about to break this *huge* baseball record, the film depicts all this as if it's not a big deal. There are no reporters stalking this guy like in real life. The guy is not a celebrity. There are several scenes where he and the teammates are out in public and barely anyone notices who they are. This just repeats itself over and over again.At the near end, when he finally breaks the record on the last day of the season with homer #62, the scene is only 5 seconds long. He runs around the bases with no dramatic music. He just goes "Yee-haw" and tags home plate. No fans run out onto the field, no fireworks, his team barely shows any emotion. It's as if the guy didn't do anything special. There is a small celebration in the locker room, but I think there's 1 TV reporter there in the background. So hitting 62 homers in 1985 apparently isn't that big a deal. Who cares, right?
