The Rookie

Play trailer

The Rookie

G

2002

2h 7m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

85%

Tomatometer

149 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.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

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.

Read Critics Reviews

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.

Go to Full Review

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.

Go to Full Review

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.

Go to Full Review

Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

Sep 21, 2020

3.5/4.0

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

Go to Full Review

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.

Go to Full Review

Leah Rozen

People Magazine

May 12, 2014

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

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Robert P

@Superbad Oct 7, 2026

The Rookie is a *4* star Movie!

See more

Kevin S

@SayHeyKid1230 Sep 24, 2026

Baseball movies are good for the soul.

See more

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.

See more

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.

See more

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.

See more

Keriel T.

@kerielflacoboy Apr 23, 2026

Love the emotions in this movie, so heartwarming

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

John Lee Hancock

Director

Dennis Quaid

Jim Morris

Rachel Griffiths

Lorri

Jay Hernandez

Joaquin "Wack" Campos

Beth Grant

Jimmy's Mother

Angus T. Jones

Hunter

Endurance

50%

52%

Endurance

Watchlist

The Straight Story

95%

91%

The Straight Story

Watchlist

Joshua

24%

77%

Joshua

Watchlist

Seven Days in Utopia

23%

68%

Seven Days in Utopia

Watchlist

The Road Home

88%

90%

The Road Home

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Best-Reviewed Live-Action Disney Movies

View more photos

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)

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings