Historically known as a national pastime, baseball has led to the creation of everlasting traditions and bonds. Tomorrow’s Game is the latest baseball movie from directors Jonathan Coria and Trevor Wilson. While they follow the traditional template of a feel-good sports movie in which the protagonist overcomes hardship and comes out of the experience wiser, the filmmakers throw in time travel and dabble in sports broadcasting culture.
In the world of Tomorrow’s Game, Santiago De La Rosa (Carlo Mendez) is a renowned baseball player for the Jethawks. The filmmakers quickly get this detail across with a 1986 interview of Santiago at the height of his fame. He took the world by storm, and it isn’t surprising that by 2002, Santiago would be invited to join the Hall of Fame. In 2002, Santiago’s teenage nephew, Daniel De La Rosa (Alejandro De Anda), is on his way to the Hall of Fame ceremony. Moody and uninterested in the sport, viewers first see Daniel halfheartedly answering questions broached by the driver, Jorge (Paul Rodriguez), who is one of Santiago’s biggest fans. While you can’t fault Daniel for not liking the sport, he doesn’t seem to appreciate his uncle’s success.
Daniel meets up with his uncle, now played by a pleasant David Arturo Sanchez. Santiago reminisces about his first major league game and plans to play the only tape of the broadcast during the ceremony. After Santiago leaves the room, Daniel knocks down the tape player. Suddenly the tape won’t stop spinning and the lights won’t stop flashing. Soon, Daniel wakes up in 1957.
“Being stuck in the past, Daniel learns to appreciate his uncle and his deeper motivation to make his family proud.”
When time travel is involved, the narrative can get muddled. But this isn’t the case with Tomorrow’s Game. Since the drama accommodates viewers of all ages, what Daniel must do to return home is easy to follow. Admittedly, the low budget likely got in the way of more exhaustive period details and nods, but the heart and motivation that drives each character is firmly established.
Being stuck in the past, Daniel learns to appreciate his uncle and his deeper motivation to make his family proud. At the same time, Daniel’s respect for the game grows with the help of Sally McDavies (an animated Miranda Meadows), an avid baseball fan who imparts to him the bittersweet nature of competition. “The pitcher and batter are locked in this moment in time,” Sally says in one of the more memorable interactions, passionately relaying to both Daniel and viewers this idea of a “competitive embrace.” At this moment, baseball fan or not, you recognize part of the appeal.
There are segments of physical comedy as Daniel, Sally, and even a younger Jorge (played by an exuberant Jerry Hernandez) clumsily plan and execute a heist. While doing so, Daniel awkwardly stumbles into the world of sports broadcasting and comes face-to-face with a smarmy broadcaster named Jared (Michael Broderick). The harebrained antics are fun, and it’s during the dynamic broadcasting segments that Alejandro De Anda feels more comfortable in the role.
But despite well intentions, the brisk pacing takes away from key moments, including one where Daniel upsets Sally, and he attempts to comfort her with baseball terminology. It would’ve been more emotionally gratifying to see the tender interactions play out longer than they do. Still, as it stands, the movie is an enjoyable watch for families, featuring a fair amount of baseball (in slo-mo close-ups) and positive messages about family and personal growth. So, while Tomorrow’s Game is not a home run, the appreciation that the filmmakers have for the sport is on full display. This indie sports movie has enough heart and charm to go around.
