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Off the Black

Play trailer Poster for Off the Black R 2006 1h 30m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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65% Tomatometer 43 Reviews Popcornmeter
After his baseball team loses a game due to a call by umpire Ray Cook (Nick Nolte), Dave Tibbel (Trevor Morgan) and some friends decide to vandalize Ray's house. Dave is caught and starts paying off his debt by cleaning up the mess. Then Ray unexpectedly offers to forgive the debt if the teen will accompany him to his 40th high-school reunion and pose as his son. A paternal bond forms between Ray, who is dying, and Dave, whose own father (Timothy Hutton) is emotionally distant.
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Off the Black

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Critics Consensus

Nick Nolte shines in his role as an irascible high school umpire, imbuing this indie coming-of-age dramedy with heft and true-to-life warmth.

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Critics Reviews

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J. R. Jones Chicago Reader 03/21/2011
The leads are good, and Timothy Hutton is memorably off-putting as the pitcher's disengaged dad. But having created the aching umpire, Ponsoldt occupies him with some fairly shopworn situation. Go to Full Review Bob Longino Atlanta Journal-Constitution 02/01/2007
B+
A modest drama fueled by Nick Nolte's gutsy lead performance as a disheveled 57-year-old junkyard proprietor who's been as flattened by life as the rusty old cars he crushes. Go to Full Review Noel Murray AV Club 12/30/2006
C
Nolte almost makes it work. Go to Full Review David Lamble Bay Area Reporter 05/19/2020
Ponsoldt's central metaphor is for a perplexing male relationship that's a lot harder to call than a ball that cuts just off the corner of the plate, and can decide a life well beyond the game. Go to Full Review Nina MacLaughlin Boston Phoenix 03/19/2013
3.5/4
Nolte nails the particular tragedy of the past-his-prime ex-high-school athlete. Go to Full Review Charles Cassady Common Sense Media 12/15/2010
2/5
Nolte is a flawed mentor in uncertain indie drama. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Cast & Crew

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James Ponsoldt

Director

Nick Nolte

Ray Cook

Trevor Morgan

Dave Tibbel

Sonia Feigelson

Ashley Tibbel

Rosemarie DeWitt

Debra Christopher

Sally Kirkland

Marianne Reynolds

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Off the Black

Off the Black (2006) Off the Black (2006) A scene from the film "Off the Black." A scene from the film "Off the Black." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis After his baseball team loses a game due to a call by umpire Ray Cook (Nick Nolte), Dave Tibbel (Trevor Morgan) and some friends decide to vandalize Ray's house. Dave is caught and starts paying off his debt by cleaning up the mess. Then Ray unexpectedly offers to forgive the debt if the teen will accompany him to his 40th high-school reunion and pose as his son. A paternal bond forms between Ray, who is dying, and Dave, whose own father (Timothy Hutton) is emotionally distant.
Director
James Ponsoldt
Producer
Scott Macaulay, Robin O'Hara
Screenwriter
James Ponsoldt
Distributor
ThinkFilm
Production Co
Forensic Films
Rating
R (A Crude Sexual Remark)
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 8, 2006, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 6, 2020
Box Office (Gross USA)
$24.0K
Runtime
1h 30m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital