Mr 3000 (2004) starring Bernie Mac, Angela Bassett, Michael Rispoli, Brian White, Ian Anthony Dale, Evan Jones, Amaury Nolasco, Paul Sorvino directed by Charles Stone III Movie Review

Mr 3000 (2004)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Bernie Mac as Stan Ross in Mr 3000 (2004)

Strike 3

Here we go again, another movie which takes me back to the ball park and the game of baseball. In fairness the idea of "Mr 3000" with an egotistical player learning that he didn't make 3000 hits during his career and forced to come out of retirement past his prime is a good one and with Bernie Mac as Mr 3000 it is well cast. The thing is that whilst "Mr 3000" has this nice idea what we get is a routine sporting story, a roller coaster ride of Mr 3000 going from being self centred to a team player to being distracted by fame again, it's all entertaining but also very familiar.

For Stan Ross (Bernie Mac - Bad Santa) 9th July 1995 was a big day, it was the day he made a record 3000th hit and also the day he walked away from the game, quitting on the Milwaukee Brewers mid season. 9 years later and Stan has built a business empire out of being Mr 3000 but then he receives the bad news, there was a clerical error and he is 3 hits short of the title. Deciding to come out of retirement Stan discovers that not only is he out of shape but baseball is different to when he walked away and he struggles to capture that old magic. But maybe age has made Stan wiser as he sees something of who he was in new superstar Rex 'T-Rex' Pennebaker (Brian White).

Angela Bassett in Mr 3000 (2004)

So the actual idea to "Mr 3000" is an amusing one and you can imagine that there are a few sportsmen who if they learned that their records were wrong might come out of retirement to set things straight. The trouble is that whilst the set up of the arrogant and selfish Stan coming out of retirement is good what follows is for the most routine. We watch as Stan struggles with new training systems, struggles with not being as sharp as he once was and as such being mocked on various TV shows. And just as predictably Stan starts putting the team first, rediscovering his passion for the sport that is until fame goes to his head again and of course the big climax is all about whether Stan will put himself before the team or not.

But whilst obvious "Mr 3000" is entertaining with Bernie Mac well cast as Stan especially when it comes to the larger than life show off scenes. In fact the whole cast is well picked from Angela Bassett as a TV reporter who has romantic history with Stan to Paul Sorvino as the team coach who never speaks. In many ways it is the performances of the stars which make "Mr 3000" entertaining rather than what happens.

What this all boils down to is that "Mr 3000" is entertaining but it is nothing more than a routine comedy about a baseball player getting a second chance and having to choose between himself and the team. Much of why it works is thanks to the casting with both Bernie Mac and Angela Bassett delivering entertaining performances.

Tags: Baseball Movies


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