The Rookie

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The Rookie

G

2002

2h 7m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

84%

Tomatometer

152 Reviews

70%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

A true story about a coach who discovers that it's never too late for dreams to come true. Jim Morris (Dennis Quaid) never made it out of the minor leagues before a shoulder injury ended his pitching career twelve years ago. Now a married-with-children high-school chemistry teacher and baseball coach in Texas, Jim's team makes a deal with him: if they win the district championship, Jim will try out with a major-league organization.

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Critics Consensus

A heart-warming sports flick, The Rookie greatly benefits from understated direction and the emotional honesty Dennis Quaid brings to the role of Jim Morris.

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Jack Mathews

New York Daily News

May 12, 2014

2.5/4

At two-plus hours, The Rookie is a good 20 minutes too long, but for father-son teams waiting eagerly for the umpire's "Play ball!", it's an uplifting season opener.

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David Germain

Associated Press

May 12, 2014

Morris ultimately lasted two partial seasons in the majors, and the film's rendering of his minor-league struggle is so enjoyable you want to see more of that and less of the everyday life preceding it.

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Scott Tobias

AV Club

May 12, 2014

Though Hancock traffics in a lot of bogus small-town sentiment, The Rookie exhibits a refreshingly honest understanding of baseball as a job, with long road trips away from home and a workmanlike routine.

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Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

Sep 21, 2020

3.5/4.0

Welcome back to the cinematic big leagues, Dennis Quaid, we've missed you!

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Debbie Lynn Elias

Behind The Lens

Nov 9, 2019

Fathers and sons and baseball. There's no combination like it. The Rookie -- it's a swing -- it's a hit -- it's going, going, gone!!! A grand slam home run.

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Leah Rozen

People Magazine

May 12, 2014

As Morris, the reliable Quaid throws heat, delivering smoothly in dramatic scenes and convincingly from the mound.

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Kevin S

@SayHeyKid1230 2 days ago

Baseball movies are good for the soul.

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Ed R

@JustcallmeER Jun 16, 2026

A heart-warming sports flick, The Rookie greatly benefits from understated direction and the emotional honesty Dennis Quaid brings to the role of Jim Morris.

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Owen I

@OwenTheCritic May 20, 2026

This is a very strong movie overall with a lot of heart and genuinely inspiring moments. It made it 10 times better when I found out this movie is based on a true story, which makes the emotional payoff even more rewarding.

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Mike T.

@wmtackett May 18, 2026

Heartwarming story about a man achieving his long lost dream of playing in the major leagues. Brings some tears.

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Keriel T.

@kerielflacoboy Apr 23, 2026

Love the emotions in this movie, so heartwarming

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Feb 9, 2026

Based on a true story in 2 hours and 7 minutes. All ages admitted.

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John Lee Hancock

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Jim Morris

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Synopsis

A true story about a coach who discovers that it's never too late for dreams to come true. Jim Morris (Dennis Quaid) never made it out of the minor leagues before a shoulder injury ended his pitching career twelve years ago. Now a married-with-children high-school chemistry teacher and baseball coach in Texas, Jim's team makes a deal with him: if they win the district championship, Jim will try out with a major-league organization.

Director: John Lee Hancock
Producer: Mark Ciardi, Gordon Gray, Mark Johnson
Screenwriter: Mike Rich
Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures
Production Co: 98 MPH Productions, Walt Disney Pictures
Rating: G
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 29, 2002, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 8, 2016
Runtime: 2h 7m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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