Iffy for 8+
Heartwarming-but-trite drama for baseball fans.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that even though this is rated PG, there's some inappropriate content for the movie's target market -- 8-10-year-olds. One of the movie's central characters, high school student Mitch, acts out because of his mother's recent death. He smokes cigarettes, tries to get some pot, and steals his grandfather's truck. But baseball eventually helps set him back on the right path. There are some intense moments when the team's bus goes off the road in an accident, kids get injured by baseballs, and there's some fighting among the boys. Language includes some fairly strong terms for the PG rating, including "s--t."
- Families can talk about the fact that this particular tale was based on a true story -- how much of what you see on screen do you think actually happened the way it's portrayed? They can also talk about Mitch's reaction to his mother's death. Do your kids know anyone whose parents have died? How did they respond? You can use this as an opportunity to allay their fears.
What to watch for
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Violence and scariness: Some baseball-related injuries: A ball hits a catcher's wrist, and Sammy gets hit on the back by a 90-mph fastball. Patrick beats Sammy up (punches, threats). Mitch and Patrick scuffle, and Mitch punches Patrick. The team is involved in a bus accident, but no one is injured.
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Sexy stuff: Kent is shown just in a towel. Patrick is shown just in jeans. Kent and Polly kiss.
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Language: Some swearing, including "bulls--t," "hell," "damn," "s--t," "half-assed," and "chicken s--t."
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Consumerism: Billboards at the baseball diamond advertise Pella Windows, Quaker Oats products, Jolly-Time popcorn, Hy-Vee, and Transamerica. The team wears Nike cleats, and Stock wears a St. Louis Cardinals baseball cap.
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Drinking, drugs and smoking: Underage Mitch smokes cigarettes, and his grandfather smokes a cigar -- but both are repeatedly told not to and how bad it is for them. Mitch asks where he can get pot. Polly (an adult) drinks a glass of wine. Roger (also an adult) drinks from a flask.
Fan Reviews provided by
4
The Final Season. by Daydream
Where baseball is the heart and soul of the community, The Final Season is inspired by the true story of the Norway High School Tigers in Norway, Iowa. This small town team has won the state championships 19 times in a row and is down to their final season due to merging schools, budget cuts and shrinking enrollment. This inspirational movie is for every sports fan out there and has life lessons for everyone. Although a characteristic underdog sports movie, it is very heart-warming and worth seeing.
5
Inspiring! by JLauren
Great family oriented film with a wonderful underlying message to rise up and impact your small world.
4
The Final Season by sherrykay
I thought that it was really good! Not unnecessary bad words to ruin it for kids.
5
What a trip! by Trebbie-A
This was an awesome movie. I, literally, laughed, cried and cheered. If you want to take a break from horror and sex and take a walk down a real live hometown street, this is for you.
5
Don't look for this movie at every theater. Find it and go see it. by Ronald Raygun
Better go see this one. This movie is very well done. This movie shows what most Americans feel and live in their daily lives. The movie must of been made in a non liberal state instead of liberal California. I doubt thie movie could get issued if the liberal Hollywood crowd saw it first. This is a slap in the face of today's Hollywood film makers who primarily put out trash promoting their own liberal agenda. I won't ruin the movie. Go see it and you will know there is still hope alive and well in America.
4
They knocked it out of the park by In It Not Of It
A great movie about how important high school sports are for small town america. This movie starts out a little slow and jumps around a bit, I have to admit I got a little confused with where Sean Astin's character started out and how he ended up being the assistant coach. The movie really gets good when the punk kid from Chicago shows up to live with his grandparents and when the town finds out that their high school will be closing and their kids commuting to a larger city school. There is quite a bit of humor and some great baseball scenes. The ending with all the championship trophies is pretty powerful, especially when you find out that the larger condensed school hasn't won squat.