Angels in the Outfield - (1994)

Young foster children Roger (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and his friend J.P. (Milton Davis, Jr.) love to sneak into baseball games of the hopelessly dreadful California Angels.

Still in limited contact with his widower father, Roger asks when they will be a family again. His father replies sarcastically, "I'd say, from where I stand, when the Angels win the pennant." Taking his father's words literally, Roger prays for God to help the Angels win. In a game against the Toronto Blue Jays which Roger and J.P. attend, he sees a group of angels led by Al (Christopher Lloyd) helping the team. Although Roger can see the angels quite clearly, everyone else can only explain the seemingly impossible acts as freak occurrences. Roger's unique ability to see which players are receiving help from angels leads the Angel's skeptical manager, George Knox (Danny Glover) to keep Roger around as a good luck charm/consultant. Due to the much needed help, the Angels start to win games and make a surprising second-half surge to the top of their division. Unfortunately, Roger's father permanently gives up custody of his son instead. On the championship game none of the Angels show up to help the team. Later on Al explains that championships must be played without help from the Angels and that he was just checking Mel Clark who will be one of them soon (he's been a smoker for years and only has six months left to live). Through out the game Mel Clark has been in, but is getting tired after 159 pitches. Coach Knox goes in, everyone thinks he's going in to take him out, but instead goes in for some motivation. The Angels ultimately win the final game of the regular season without the help of the angels and clinch the division pennant over the rival Chicago White Sox. The movie ends with George adopting both Roger and J.P. J.P. sees Al at the window and knew it could happen. Al circles around the house and says "We're always watching".

I first saw this movie when it first came out 16 years ago (Oh my goodness, I feel so old now!) I loved it then, and I love it now. It teaches children to never give up on their dreams. Roger's question to his father, "Dad, when will we be a family again?" and the reply, "When the angel's win the pennant" gave young Roger the hope of having a family again. No, it didn't happen the way he thought it would, but how many things in life happen the way we plan? This movie also teaches about unconditional trust. J.P. completely trusts that Roger is telling him the truth about seeing angels. Not many people, let alone, young children can go on absolute faith.

Now, pop quiz, who is the Hollywood hottie that was a little known star then, but is HUGE now, and very VERY sexy, that also plays in the movie? Here's a little hint... It's not Tony Danza, although he can also make me weak in the knees, and it's not Danny Glover, or Christopher Lloyd. Give up? Well you will either have to sit down and watch the movie or wait until next week to find out the answer.

Happy viewing!