What begins as a fascinating documentary about the hopes and dreams of young baseball players in the Dominican Republic quickly turns into something far more dramatic and suspenseful in filmmakers Ross Finkel, Trevor Martin, and Jon Paley's Ballplayer: Pelotero. Narrated by John Leguizamo, the film opens with an overview of the importance of baseball culture to impoverished families in the island nation—which has yielded many great athletes who go on to play in the lucrative ranks of America's Major League Baseball—but soon zeroes in on two teenage boys, Miguel Angel and Jean Carlos, who have spent their childhoods preparing for eligibility to sign a MLB contract at the age of 16. Both are excellent prospects who want to play in the U.S. and help their families, but complications arise as a crucial deadline approaches for MLB offers to be made and contracts signed. Investigations are launched, rumors fly, and frustration grows as the film follows the disheartening and often incredible circumstances here—involving betrayal and brinkmanship, some of it an apparent collusion among baseball powers to squelch escalating offers made to new players, but some of it also coming from the deceptive family of one of the young men. A unique human interest tale that will appeal to more than just baseball fans, this is recommended. (T. Keogh)
Ballplayer: Pelotero
Strand, 77 min., in English & Spanish w/English subtitles, not rated, DVD: $24.99, Sept. 4 Volume 27, Issue 5
Ballplayer: Pelotero
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