Rated: PG
Starring: Sean Astin, Larry Miller, Amy Acker, Ann Wedgeworth, Powers Boothe
Directed by: David Mickey Evans

Sean Astin stars in The Final Season, a sweet film that is safe for the whole family. A true story, although similar in plot to other sports films, gave me that special feel-good sensation that one looks for from a winner.

In 1990 the little town of Norway, Iowa, population 586, got caught up in school downsizing and state greed, when they were told the high school had to centralize with a larger nearby school.

The biggest emotional upset involved the high school baseball team that would loose their identity after 19 consecutive state championships. Coaches and townspeople fought the state in their decision, but to no avail.

The film tells the story of the one last chance for Norway High to achieve a 20th consecutive championship season, but with a fledgling replacement coach, a dwindling team and a town headed for despair.

The keen direction by David Evans works its magic and sucks you into the storyline from the very beginning. I liked the way characters were introduced by showing important towns people, team members and coaches at the culmination of the heroic 19th baseball season. We quickly get the drift of how significant baseball is to this small town.

It was good seeing Astin playing the lead as Kent Stock, a girls volleyball coach, who gets appointed as a replacement for Norway’s Jim Van Scoyoc—the three time ‘state baseball coach of the year. Of course, it was a far cry from his years as Sam in Lord of The Rings, and a welcomed change for the fine actor.

Booth plays his usual bold and blustery self with the same emotion that’s portrayed as the Vice President in episodes of the TV series 24. His portrayal of Van Scoyoc, the invincible coach who challenges the school board on their choice to consolidate, is right on the money.

The only drawback in the film comes with its length. Maybe shortening some of the baseball scenes would have brought the film in at a more enjoyable length.

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3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."