wes-connors Review of The Natural

The Natural (1984)

Score One for Robert Redford

[7/10 · 30 July 2013]

Incredibly natural baseball player Robert Redford (as Roy Hobbs) grows up to be a 1920s teenager on the verge of playing in the big leagues. Then, he is derailed… Sixteen years later, Mr. Redford attempts to re-enter his field of dreams. As a middle-aged rookie, Redford is immediately benched - but, you should never write Redford off… "The Natural" is an excellent fantasy - one you can believe within the confines of its running time. As both a baseball player and a movie star, Redford rises to the occasion. For the film, he gets extraordinary production values - skillfully led by director Barry Levinson and cinematographer Caleb Deschanel. For the character, Redford gets magical powers from a lightning strike - courtesy of writer Bernard Malamud and mythology.

******* The Natural (5/11/84) Barry Levinson ~ Robert Redford, Robert Duvall, Glenn Close, Kim Basinger