You Gotta Believe Parent Guide

In 2002, Fort Worth’s Westside youth baseball team is given the opportunity of a lifetime - a chance to compete in the Little League World Series. But there’s a problem: the kids are in last place in their area and have only two weeks to up their game. When their coach Bobby Ratliff (Luke Wilson), who is also the dad of one of the players, is diagnosed with cancer, the team rally behind him and commit to play every game in his honor, giving them something to believe in.

I may not be a sports person, but it takes a cold heart to not appreciate an inspirational sports movie, especially one centered on kids. You Gotta Believe knows that it’s a big ball of genre cliches and inspirational one-liners, and it’s not trying to be anything else. I’ll admit that I shed a tear at the ending, as I think many viewers will. I can’t fault a film for being sincere even if I quibble over some of the details.

Overall, this movie does what it sets out to do – be inspirational and heartwarming – but there are plenty of flaws along the way. Aside from being extremely clichéd, which I can forgive based on the genre, the script feels unfocused at times, and sometimes glosses over the boys in favor of slower scenes focused on the adults. Most of the team members end up as little more than a name and one character trait, which makes it hard for the audience to connect with them. There’s also a disconnect between the theme of belief and a tangible message. Believe in what? Yourself? A higher cause? Teamwork? It’s never really made clear, which leads to a very vague message overall, even if it does tug at the heartstrings.

Those critiques aside, Wilson and Kinnear give stellar performances, and the production value is high. I can’t say I disliked this movie; I just think a bit more tweaking would have resulted in a better production. With mild negative content (minor swearing and adults drinking beer), this film is appropriate for many audiences and does exemplify the power of teamwork, hope, and hard work. Though not destined to be a time-tested classic, You Gotta Believe is an uplifting edition to the genre. It’s not a homerun, but it doesn’t strike out either.