Writer/director John Sayles' dramatization of the most infamous episode in professional sports -- the fix of the 1919 World Series -- is considered by many to be among his best films and arguably the best baseball movie ever made. This adaptation of Eliot Asinof's definitive study of the scandal shows how athletes of another era were a different breed from the well-paid stars of later years. The Chicago White Sox owner, Charlie Comiskey (Clifton James), is portrayed as a skinflint with little
inclination to reward his team for their spectacular season. When a gambling syndicate led by Arnold Rothstein (Michael Lerner) gets wind of the players' discontent, it offers a select group of stars -- including pitcher Eddie Cicotte (Sayles regular David Strathairn), infielder Buck Weaver (John Cusack), and outfielder "Shoeless" Joe Jackson (D.B. Sweeney) -- more money to play badly than they would have earned to try to win the Series against the Cincinnati Reds. Sayles cast the story with actors who look and perform like real jocks, and added a colorful supporting cast that includes Studs Terkel as reporter Hugh Fullerton and Sayles himself as Ring Lardner. ~ Tom Wiener, Rovi
Baseball fans might find this marginally absorbing; for anyone else it's as conscientious and stylistically pedestrian as Sayles's other films, and a mite overlong to boot.
For Mr. Sayles, whose idealism has never been more affecting or apparent than it is in this story of boyish enthusiam gone bad in an all too grown-up world, Eight Men Out represents a home run.
If John Sayles were a ballplayer, they'd call him Lefty -- not for his pitching arm but for his politics. The devoutly liberal filmmaker's political point of view is certain. It's his dramatic focus that sometimes gets fuzzy.
In 1988, writer-director John Sayles made his most ambitious film to date with this intelligent chronicle of the 1919 sports scandal, cast with some of the best actors around (Strathairn, Cusack, Sweeney, Sheen).
Sayles' excellent film is more of a human tragedy than a sports movie -- meaning that even those with a limited knowledge of baseball should find it fascinating stuff.
It's saturated with the period, and it advances a few theories that convincingly answer that little boy's question for Jackson, which, beneath that plea for a denial, really wanted to know one thing: why?
Sayles not only depicts the circumstances that led to the fix (most notably Sox owner Charles Comiskey's legendary tightfistedness), but he also re-creates the games in great detail, making the best possible use of an athletic cast.
Given the inevitably knotty plotting, the message is oddly unrevealing, although the film features more than enough intelligently, wittily scripted moments to remain a fascinating insight into a crucial episode in the souring of that old American Dream.
For anyone who appreciates artistic integrity and is interested in genuinely independent films, the prolific and highly personal work of John Sayles is essential viewing.
This baseball drama is interesting, mostly because it's a true story, but also because it's got a lot of stars. The problem is, it gets really dull now and then. Overall, it's pretty good, though.
No quotes approved yet for Eight Men Out. Logged in users can submit quotes.
Submit a Quote from 'Eight Men Out'
A quote can be a single line from one character or a memorable dialog between several characters. Please make your quotes accurate. Quotes will be submitted for approval by the RT staff.
Example:
Luke: Alright. I'll give it a try. Yoda: No. Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.
Top Critic
