Rachel Phelps (Margaret Whitton) is the new owner of the Cleveland Indians, and she desperately wants the team to move down to Miami. The team has been terrible for years, and she has a plan to keep that trend going. With the intention of coming in last in Major League Baseball, Phelps uses new general manager Charlie Donovan (Charles Cyphers) to recruit below-average talent and make her wishes come true. However, when the players realize that they are being duped by their owner, they rebel, winning out of pure spite.
Nineteen-eighties sports comedies were apparently a different beast. With films like Bull Durham and Caddyshack, both of which possessed some raunchy comedy, the genre was one of a kind at this period in time, and Major League fits in beautifully. With the first use of the word “fuck” coming just seconds into the film, viewers understand immediately that they are in for a treat...if they like that sort of thing. You are guaranteed to get raunchy comedy, foul language, and honesty with Major League, and for cinephiles like me, that’s alright. I am honestly pleased by the down-to-earth and relatable content that exists throughout the film, and, again, that content comes in the form of something that is sure to offend many.
Charlie Sheen (Ricky Vaughn) has become a pariah in the world of pop culture over the course of the past decade–since his days of “winning,” however, in his day he was the whole package. Women loved him and men envied him for a number of reasons, including his wealth, acting ability, and looks–and Major League showcases his abilities in the best possible way. He is a rebel, he always has been, and even in his days of genuine fame he fit the role of the bad boy quite well. Major League shows Sheen as the young heartthrob, and it allows him to show off just what he was capable of in his heyday in terms of his acting prowess. Like much of the content of the film, Sheen's Vaughn is relatable. He’s honest, real, and interestingly understandable as he makes his professional debut and struggles with the realities of life.
If you’re a fan of sports then Major League is the film for you. While there are secondary and tertiary storylines throughout that aren’t exactly warranted (*cough cough* the romantic storyline), the primary focus is baseball. It’s all fun and games in Major League, and not a dull moment exists throughout the course of the film. Even the romance that exists between Jake Taylor (Tom Berenger) and Lynn Wells (Rene Russo), an element of the film that I believe was unnecessary and that I expected to hate, manages to present viewers with a level of entertainment, as both Berrenger and Russo work wonderfully together.
Major League is full of tenacity, camaraderie, and the American dream. As the film progresses and the team and drama ensues, viewers are pulled into the narrative and feel like fans of the Indians. Even as a fan of the Philadelphia Phillies I found myself connected to this team, hoping for the best–and while this is certainly a fictitious telling of the real-life baseball team, it seemed unlikely that I’d be rooting for anyone but The Fightin’ Phils. I became engrossed in the story and what Writer-Director David S. Ward developed, and once I began cheering for Cleveland I never looked back. Major League is a sports film great, and while it may turn some off with the racy humor, it’s sure to entertain a large group of viewers.
Written & Directed by David S. Ward.
Starring Tom Berenger, Charlie Sheen, Corbin Bernsen, Margaret Whitton, James Gammon, Rene Russo, Wesley Snipes, Charles Cyphers, Chelsie Ross, Dennis Haysbert, Andy Romano, Bob Uecker, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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