A pair of young Japanese high schoolers want one thing in life: to suit up for with their school baseball team. This charming, energetic comng-of-age story follows them through the physical exhaustions and tests of their friendship that stand in the way of achieving their goal.
REVIEW
The two Japanese high schoolers who occupy the central roles in this film are benchwarmers, as the title of the film suggests. They love baseball as much as any teenage kid from Ohio or Oklahoma. But they're scrawny, and they lack the natural athletic abilities of some of their friends who are the stars of the team. Nevertheless, heart and determination drive the two bench warmers to withstand months of gruelling practices just for a chance to suit up for the big game.
The sport of baseball, and in particular the customs and traditions of Japanese youth baseball, occupy the center of the film. Any lover of sports films will find all of the humor and drama of their favorite movies in "Bench Warmers," which is equal parts "Rudy" and "The Sandlot."
The film has a breezy, youthful feel, but it touches on tender subjects, such as loyalty among friends and the pain of losing a mother. "Bench Warmers" is a charming coming of age tale, with earnest and honest performances from its young cast, that will pull at your heart strings from start to finish.
-Michael J. LoPresti
| Year | 2008 |
|---|---|
| Country |
Japan |
| Language | Japanese |
| Category | Fiction |
| Runtime | 126 minutes |
| Rating | NR |
Director
Yoshitaka Mori
Production Company
Hyakuhachi Production Committee
Producer
Kazuyuki Kitaki, Takuro Nagai
Written By
Yoshitaka Mori
Cinematographer
Shogo Ueno (JSC)
Editor
Yoshitaka Mori
Sound
Yasushi Miyata
Music
Tsuyoshi Izumi
Principal Cast
Aoi Nakamura, Yoshiki Saito
