Friday, Aug. 24, 2001
Review: Summer Catch
By LOUIS B. HOBSON
Calgary Sun
Now for some cinema baseball stats.
Freddie Prinze Jr. is no Tim Robbins.
Director Mike Tollin is no Ron Shelton.
Matthew Lillard makes a passable Kevin Costner.
The new sex-and-sports comedy Summer Catch is Bull Durham for the American Pie crowd.
Once again, we have the story of a rookie pitcher who just needs to focus his lightning-fast throws.
He manages to accomplish that with the friendship of his more seasoned team catcher, the love of a sexy woman and the loan of her underwear.
In Summer Catch, Ryan Dunne (Prinze) has a few additional hurdles.
Ryan is the first hometown boy to qualify for the Cape Cod Baseball League held yearly in this picturesque town. The other players are rich kids from universities around America.
They come to Chatham to play ball because that's where pro scouts congregate. This is the big chance to get snapped up for a major league contract.
Ryan fits in while playing ball, but he's definitely out of his league off the field.
Ryan is the son of the local landscaper-handyman (Fred Ward). Ryan actually has to cut the grass on the field the night before the first tryouts.
When the sexiest of rich girls, Tenley Parrish (Jessica Biel), sets her sights on him, Ryan is in for an emotional roller coaster ride.
Tenley's snobbish father (Bruce Davidson) threatens to get his rich friends to break their contracts with Ryan's dad if Ryan continues seeing Tenley.
Ryan is also trying to cope with the recent death of his mother and the fact his brother (Jason Gedrick) is a failed baseball player.
With so much personal angst to deal with, it's no wonder Summer Catch plays more innings off the field than on.
Baseball is definitely a secondary concern for Tollin and his writers, Kevin Falls and John Gatins.
Ryan's teammates are as determined to hit as many homeruns with the local girls as when they're at bat.
Perky Brittany Murphy stars as the local girl who loves to seduce ball players and takes their underwear as trophies, leaving them with thong bikinis.
The actors parade around in these skimpy undergarments, making this is an equal-opportunity flick for girls.
Boys are treated to ribald barroom conversations about each player's big score with twins, hefty women and Chatham's legendary older woman.
Watch for Beverly D'Angelo doing her version of Susan Sarandon from Bull Durham.
Lillard is hilarious as the hormonal catcher who instantly and inexplicably bonds with Ryan. He has a real flair for comedy.
Prinze's trademark goofy innocence works for him in Summer Catch better than it usually does.
His heavier, dramatic scenes with Brian Dennehy, who plays the coach, as well as Gedrick and Davidson are not as convincing as his comic turns.
Summer Catch has its moments, but as far as raunchy summer comedies and baseball movies go, it's definitely minor league.
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