Austin Film Festival Preview: Calvin Marshall

In our experience, a good baseball movie acts as the perfect antidote to a bad mood. Life is simpler when it consists of four bases, a set of clear rules and the ever-present possibility of hitting a home run, and watching a bunch of lovelorn players dedicate themselves to an idealized pastime has the effect of making us enamored with the game as well. Often sentimental and always bittersweet, the best baseball movies are there when we need them, and now we have another classic to add to the feel-better-with-baseball film library.

Calvin Marshall, directed by Gary Lundgren, captures baseball's charms by introducing us to a few archetypal characters: the gruff, washed up coach who may or may not have a secret soft side, the optimistic player with more heart than talent, and a beautiful woman with a habit of throwing curve balls. Alex Frost plays the title character—a baseball fanatic who aspires to be a Major League player but unfortunately doesn't quite have what it takes to make the junior college team. The hilarious (as usual) Steve Zahn plays Calvin's coach, and though he seems to be as sour and cynical as they come, even he has trouble squelching his most dedicated prospect's dreams.

A truly excellent cast that includes Jane Adams, Andrew Wilson, Diedrich Bader and Michelle Lombardo as well as a sharp and funny script set Calvin Marshall up for sure success. Check it out now or later, but don't miss this spot-on addition to the baseball canon.

Calvin Marshall appears as part of the Marquee Screenings category of the Austin Film Festival. The full AFF schedule can be seen here.