 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Final Season
- Review Date: April 14, 2008
- PG
- Genre: Drama
- 2007
Common Sense Media says
Heartwarming-but-trite drama for baseball fans.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that even though this is rated PG, there's some inappropriate content for the movie's target market -- 8-10-year-olds. One of the movie's central characters, high school student Mitch, acts out because of his mother's recent death. He smokes cigarettes, tries to get some pot, and steals his grandfather's truck. But baseball eventually helps set him back on the right path. There are some intense moments when the team's bus goes off the road in an accident, kids get injured by baseballs, and there's some fighting among the boys. Language includes some fairly strong terms for the PG rating, including "s--t."
What's the story?
A heartwarming underdog tale based on a true story, THE FINAL SEASON is set in small town of Norway, Iowa, where baseball is more than a tradition. It's even more than a religion. It's everything to these people: The whole town turns out for the high school team's practices, and the town sign features a baseball diamond. "Baseball is as rich as Iowa soil," explains head coach Jim Van Scoyoc (Powers Boothe). "We grow ball players here like we grow corn." With 19 state championships to its credit, the Norway High team is hoping for an even 20 when the axe comes down. The school district is merging with the district next door, where, parents fear, their star players won't even make the team. And without baseball, the town could die out. Given one last season to make their mark and seal their legacy, smarmy school district chief Harvey Makepeace (Marshall Bell) fires multi-award-winning Van Scoyoc and replaces him with former girls volleyball coach Kent Stock (Sean Astin). Can Stock motivate the dejected team and lead them to their final, glorious win?
Is it any good?
What The Final Season does well is remind viewers why they love the game so much. It's not just that it's fun to watch and takes courage, tenacity, and endurance. It's that baseball -- and other sports -- have saved legions of kids from self-destructive behavior by giving them a place to put their energy and loving support for what they do. It's Field of Dreams goes to high school -- or Friday Night Lights about baseball.
The final game is likely to leave both kid and adult baseball fans screaming at the screen -- much like they do at playoff games. And zany newspaper reporter Roger Dempsey (the incorrigible Larry Miller) lightens what could easily be a far too schlocky and serious film. All of that said, if you're not a baseball fan, The Final Season probably isn't for you. The jargon and heavy-handed sentimentality can be too much, and you get the feeling that the story might have been white-washed just a bit (the real-life Van Scoyoc and Stock both consulted on the film). The movie insists that everything bad comes from the big city and that small-town life is free of drugs, violence, and alienation. For anyone who's ever been bullied by a jock or lived the not-so-rosy parts of small-town life, this depiction is likely to come off as naïve at best.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about the fact that this particular tale was based on a true story -- how much of what you see on screen do you think actually happened the way it's portrayed? They can also talk about Mitch's reaction to his mother's death. Do your kids know anyone whose parents have died? How did they respond? You can use this as an opportunity to allay their fears.
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
Teen, 14 years old
November 14, 2011
AGE
Good Movie
Final Season is a good movie for families to watch. It contains some swearing and smoking. I think the world view is a team trying to make it to State Championships before their school is closed and to maybe get them to change their minds about closing the school. One of the messages in this movie is you can accomplish anything if you work together as a team and work well as a team.
What other families should know:
Was this review useful?
|
|
Kid, 12 years old
November 14, 2011
AGE
A Fantastic Baseball Movie
The Final Season is a great movie about a boy who had lost his mom and and needed to get a hobby. He found a baseball coach in his new school and he played and it turned out to change his life. The boy was very disrespectful to his dad but staying with his grandparents theaches him the ways of life. I think this movie has good worlveiw and good role models. It has smoking, a little violence, and cussing but i think this a very good movie and reccomend you watch it.
What other families should know:
Was this review useful?
|
|
Teen, 13 years old
November 14, 2011
AGE
A Baseball-lovers movie!
"The Final Season" tells the legendary story of how a small town team, against all odds, can go big even whenn no one believes in them. This movie shows that not always 'bigger is better,' especially when your perseverence is greater than anyone elses! It also goes a long way in telling you that one man doesn't make a team, but a group working in hamory is far more productive (considering its a team sport). The content in this movie contains some violence, smoking (not promoting it), and some drinking; also there is some cussing so watch out for younger crowds watvhing it. I liked the movie because of the redemption in it everyone goes throught in some way, shape or form! All-in-all, "The Final Season," isn't just for baseball-lovers alike, but for the whole family!
What other families should know:
Was this review useful?
|
|
Teen, 13 years old
November 14, 2011
AGE
The Best Movie Review Ever!
The Final Season is funny, exciting, and has a great message. This movie is based on a true story about baseball, community, family, respect, hope, and most importantly, learning how to be a team and working together to achieve your goals. Though this movie has some smoking, cussing, and references to drinking, I believe that it is a good family film and has many good messages that everyone should hear.
What other families should know:
Was this review useful?
|
|
Teen, 14 years old
November 14, 2011
AGE
America to the core
The Final Season, is a good replica of small-town America and the unique traits little towns like Norway are home to. Norway is home to a thriving passion for baseball. Mitch, a young boy caught up in the grief of losing his mother, is sent by his father to Norway in hopes for him to get back on the right track. He joins the the team on thier journey to hopefully win their 20th and final season due to a merger placed to combine this small school into a bigger school and ruin thier record. The story was heartwarming, passionate, and had good redemtive messages with a great ending!
What other families should know:
Was this review useful?
|
|
Adult
April 9, 2008
AGE
The kids in the theater cheered
There were several children in the theater when I saw the movie. They loved it. There is some strong language but not much and probably a lot less than they hear on television every day. It is a good story about small-town values which may not be understood or appreciated by the more cynical urban types.
Was this review useful?
|
|
Teen, 13 years old
November 14, 2011
AGE
The last chance.
The final season. I love it, how this movie tells the story of a small town and the way they fight for there school that holds the town together. A young man is sent to his grandparents because his dad doses not know what to with his him. The world view message is about father son relationship, doing something with your life, and the in portends of having a group of people working together to save and accomplish a big goal. This movie has langue, smoking, and tock about alcohol but it is all over looked by the advents that happen. I loved it and I think your family will to.
What other families should know:
Was this review useful?
|
|
Kid, 12 years old
November 14, 2011
AGE
The final season
The Final season is a very good and uplifting movie about boy named mitch who lost his mom and that is living with his grandparents.
Mitch's grandma told him to get a hobbie,so he goes to a small town school in Norway and gets on the baseball team.
The Norway baseball team is going for their 20th championship trophy.
This is one of the best movies i have seen i a long time and I would encourage you and your family to watch this movie.
What other families should know:
Was this review useful?
|
|
Teen, 13 years old
November 14, 2011
AGE
Baseball Meets Family Values
Final season has many awesome messages in it and is a great family movie. This movie is about a dad movie his son to his grandparent’s house. While he is at his grandparent house they tell him to get a hobby and he plays for the Norway baseball team. During this time playing on Norway’s baseball team and staying with this grandparent he learns to have respect for his dad and all adults. As I said before there are many awesome messages and some of these are to have respect for adults, learning to get along with your family, learning to do good thing with your life, and being able to come together as a small community and achieve big goals. This movie also has lots of good role model, and a little bit of bad language. This movie is a fun movie for the whole family so grab your family and your popcorn and watch it.
What other families should know:
Was this review useful?
|
|
| Topics: | sports and martial arts |
| Studio: | Yari Film Group |
| Director: | David M. Evans |
| Cast: | Michael Angarano, Sean Astin, Tom Arnold |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Run time: | 114 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | October 11, 2007 |
| DVD release date: | April 14, 2008 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | language, thematic elements and some teen smoking. |
Review It
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
