Hardball

Los Angeles Times Kevin Thomas

A surefire heart-tugger made with skill and judgment, affords Keanu Reeves a career high point.

Portland Oregonian David Germain

Blends its seemingly disparate elements into a coherent film that's entertaining, funny, sad and even a bit uplifting and inspirational.

Miami Herald Rene Rodriguez

Cynics may roll their eyes at Hardball's earnestness, but the movie proves even the most conventional stories can move and engage you, provided they're told well.

Slate Matt Feeney

Toward the end of Hardball, the story takes a jolting turn from heartwarming to tear-jerking that people might find cruelly manipulative. Perhaps under normal circumstances, I would too. But these are not normal circumstances, and instead of put off, I was completely undone.

New Times (L.A.) Bill Gallo

Hardball is not as bad as it sounds, and at its best it's charming.

Washington Post Michael O'Sullivan

Surprisingly brusque yet likable film.

Salon.com Stephanie Zacharek

It may follow a formula, but sometimes formula equals comforting routine. And there are times, in the movies and elsewhere, when routine is exactly what you need.

The New York Times Stephen Holden

Its uplifting message about teamwork and caring wouldn't hurt a fly. You might even say, the movie is good for you.

USA Today Claudia Puig

Those who were upset by the tragic ending of last year's "Pay It Forward" should be warned away.

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

It drifts above the surface of its natural subjects, content to be a genre picture. We're always aware of the formula--and in a picture based on real life, we shouldn't be.

New York Daily News Jami Bernard

A by-the-numbers tearjerker notable mostly for the most adorable little sluggers this side of the "Bad News Bears."

Washington Post Megan Rosenfeld

It is only when Reeves meets up with his incredibly cute baseball team that this movie comes to life.

Chicago Tribune Mark Caro

Remains watchable when it's not hitting you like a baseball bat with poignancy. But by the time you've endured all of the shamelessly manipulative plot turns and heart-yanking speeches that close out the movie, all you can do is cry foul.

San Francisco Chronicle Bob Graham

Hardball works where it counts, on the emotional level.

Boston Globe Jay Carr

Ultimately, the kids carry this manipulative tear-jerker. They're warm, lively charmers.

Chicago Reader Lisa Alspector

The filmmakers realize that playing baseball isn't nearly enough to fix what's wrong in these kids' lives, which might have made a more provocative ending than what follows.

Mr. Showbiz Cody Clark

The actors playing the team members have stereotypical roles, but these kids have got game.

Austin Chronicle Kimberley Jones

When the boys are tossing balls around and bopping in time to Notorious B.I.G., they -- and the film -- are right-on.

LA Weekly Chuck Wilson

Until its dismaying final 15 minutes, this baseball redemption movie sails along on the charms of cute kids and a star who makes up in bone structure what he lacks in talent.

Variety Robert Koehler

There's no cork inside Hardball, but there's more than enough corn. Everything about the movie is geared for maximum uplifting and tear-jerking effect, and seems designed, in the end, to question the old saw that there's no crying in baseball.

Baltimore Sun Chris Kaltenbach

As shallow and manipulative a movie as any that come to mind.

TV Guide Steve Simels

Along the way, director Brian Robbins indulges Reeves in too many laughable inspirational speeches. He also wastes the terrific Diane Lane in the thankless role of the kids' dedicated teacher.

Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum

The movie is so littered with clichés of genre, as well as clichés of artifice in Reeves' pained performance, that any semblance of social reality goes foul.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold

Wants to be an offbeat, hard-edged, inspirational sports movie, but it misses its target by a country mile.

Rolling Stone Peter Travers

The film takes a true story and drags it through a swamp of hyped-up Hollywood cliches.