Undrafted

Actor Joe Mazzello wrote, directed, and appears in this ensemble baseball comedy celebrating the athletic skill of his brother John, a college star who was never drafted by a major league team. The setting is a game that will determine which of two teams will advance to a sectional championship in their local league. One team is the Diamond Backs, a ragtag, bickering group of guys whose player-coach Ty (Duke Davis Roberts) explodes after their opponents show up with a raft of new players sporting impressive resumés. Making him even angrier is the fact that the Diamond Backs' best player, John “Maz” Mazzeti (Aaron Tveit), has been skipped over during the major league draft. As the game proceeds, all of the Diamond Back players have their moments to shine, including Chace Crawford as the hotshot hitter who doesn't want to get his uniform dirty; Tyler Hoechlin as the pitcher with a tendency to choke; Philip Winchester as the older guy past his prime; Ryan Pinkston as the pint-sized catcher; and Mazzello as a hot-tempered outfielder. The lead switches back and forth, players are injured (or arrested), and by the close the Diamonds have their backs to the wall—until Maz takes charge. Undrafted is a nice fraternal tribute by Mazzello, but despite the best efforts of a game cast, the film is definitely a bush league effort. Not a necessary purchase. (F. Swietek)