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The Rookie

Play trailer Poster for The Rookie G 2002 2h 7m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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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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The Rookie

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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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Critics Reviews

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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. 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

Audience Reviews

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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. 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 Stephen C @bob25009 Feb 9, 2026 Based on a true story in 2 hours and 7 minutes. All ages admitted. See more Joel H @786Joel Dec 29, 2025 As far as inspirational sports movies go, The Rookie is better than average. This movie starts off pretty strong, but then its momentum begins to dip near the middle of two-hour and eight-minute runtime. The story manages to catch its second wind near the end, though. Dennis Quaid gives a very convincing performance as Jim Morris, ignoring the fact that he is over 10 years older than Morris really was when he was signed. I was also disappointed to read some of the real-life facts about Morris’s marriage. Regardless of the reality, The Rookie is a good movie for the whole family with plenty of heart. See more Read all reviews
The Rookie

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Cast & Crew

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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

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The Rookie

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Movie Info

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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