The Rookie

An extremely pleasing movie based upon the improbable but true story of Jim Morris (played by a fine Dennis Quaid), who, as a 35-year-old high school science teacher and baseball coach, made the major leagues with the help of a 98-mph fastball (about 12 mph faster than he had thrown in the minor leagues 15 years earlier). John Lee Hancock directs at a kid-friendly pace (the picture is rated "G"), but adults will still enjoy the snap of baseballs punching into dusty catcher's mitts. Mike Rich's script pushes all the expected buttons but never pushes them too hard.