Summer Catch (2001)

Good Romantic Comedy, Poor Baseball Movie

This is the story of Ryan Dunne (Freddy Prinze Jr.) and Tenley Parrish (Jessica Biel), and their summer together in Massachusetts. Dunne is a poor, moody baseball player playing in the local Cape Cod League, while Parrish is the daughter of wealthy parents. Despite the odds, they fall in love (surprise, surprise). It has the potential to be the greatest baseball movie since the Rookie, but that possibility fades away after the first twenty minutes. Despite being labeled a baseball movie, the baseball element takes a definitive back seat to the developing romance between Parrish and Dunne. This can be disappointing if you are expecting something similar to For Love of the Game, for example.

There are several funny subplots-namely Parrish's younger sister's search for the proper mascot and Miles Dalrymple's (Marc Blucas) love for large women- but in general the storyline drags. The dialogue is frequently corny or over-the-top, as are most of the scenes involving Prinze and Parrish together. The main lesson of the movie is that it is important to believe in yourself, but I feel like the lesson comes too late for both characters. Prinze's performance in this film is okay, but I feel someone better could have been cast for Biel's role. The supporting cast was fantastic.

Overall, I would recommend this film. For the most part, I enjoyed it. The few funny parts were funny enough to save the rest of the movie (in my opinion, anyway). This is a good movie, as long as you know that you're paying for a romantic comedy. As a romantic comedy, I would consider it a success.

But if you're looking for a quality baseball movie, look further. November 26, 2007

More of Jessica Biel, please...

Summer Catch brings to the screen the story of a hard working young man who takes part in a summer baseball tournament as a pitcher, hoping to make it to the major league. In order to make it big though, he needs to watch out for his worst enemy... himself.
Freddie Prinze Jr., Jessica Biel (who is GORGEOUS!), Matthew Lillard, Beverly D'Angelo (who is HOT!), Fred Ward, and the rest of the cast carry out their performances very well.
The setting, the plot, the music (!) and the dialogues are all wonderful!
In a nutshell, it's probably not a movie you would want to add to your collection, but it will surely provide for an evening's entertainment.
September 4, 2006

For fans of Freddie/Jessica, not baseball.

I normally wouldn't bother with a movie like this, but bought it for a buck in the midst of a Jessica Biel phase. It actually exceeded my expectations, though that's not saying alot. My main point is that it's not much of a baseball movie, but it's excellent for Jessica Biel viewing. Any film that has her swimming in panties I'd have to recommend to her fans. August 20, 2006

Wow...shockingly bad movie

I watched this movie and I don't review things very often but felt a need to save others from wasting two hours of their life watching this movie. This is one of the worst movies I have seen...painful...absolutely painful. Writing, acting, Directing all are some of the worst I have seen in a wide release movie. July 18, 2006

Strikes Out

Decent bubble-gum flick, but probably the worst baseball movie ever made. If there were a category for most clichés ever compressed into one film, "Summer Catch" would win it. Don't waste your time. June 27, 2006

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