Baseball is one of America’s favorite pastimes, and there are plenty of great baseball films to enjoy on Netflix. From heart-warming tales of redemption to edge-of-your-seat dramas, these ten films are sure to keep you entertained.
So grab a seat on the couch, put on your favorite team’s hat, and prepare for some good old-fashioned baseball fun!
Here are the ten best baseball films on Netflix
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1. Weeds On Fire (2016)
Weeds On Fire is based on a true story and focuses on the creation and rise of the baseball team Shatin Martins. Lung and Wai are two of the main characters in the narrative. They are good friends who have been able to enroll in college. Their college is notorious for its rowdy students who are prone to
Wai and Lung, as well as some of their friends, were chosen to play on the college’s baseball team. They started off badly but gradually improved. Wai, on the other hand, gets involved in a scuffle during one game and is replaced by Lung as a result. Wai leaves school and joins a criminal gang after feeling deceived. The kids compete at a junior competition, where they manage to advance and win the championship. Critics have praised the film highly, as well as winning a number of honors. This film was made on a shoestring budget.
2. The Phenom (2016)
The Phenom is a 2016 American sports drama film directed by Noah Buschel. Hopper Gibson (Johnny Simmons) is a young baseball player who has become famous for throwing pitches over 100 mph and never having lost a game in his life. His father, whom he calls “Big H” (Ethan Hawke), was an alcoholic who never fulfilled his dream of playing professional baseball. Hopper’s mother died when he was ten years old, which led to him becoming depressed and anxious about life in general.
Hopper has recently become very successful on the field and off, but after being called up from Triple-A ball to the major leagues by his father’s former teammate Joe D’Amico (Paul Giamatti), he begins to struggle. He starts having panic attacks and is sent down to Double-A ball, where he meets Bridgette Waters (Victoria Justice). Together, they help each other work through their personal issues and eventually Hopper returns to the majors.
The Phenom has received mixed reviews from critics. Some praise the acting performances, while others criticize the writing and feel that the film does not delve deep enough into Gibson’s character. Simmons was nominated for a Critics’ Choice Award for his portrayal of Hopper.
3. The Benchwarmers (2006)
The Benchwarmers is a 2006 American comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan and starring Rob Schneider, David Spade, Jon Heder, Nick Swardson and Jon Lovitz. The story follows three grown men (Spader, Schneider & Heder) who decide to form a baseball team in order to challenge their former rivals from high school.
With the help of a childhood friend (Swardson), they manage to find some talented players and make it all the way to the championships. However, their lack of experience leads to an inevitable loss. The film was panned by critics but performed well at the box office, grossing over $120 million worldwide.
4. Bull Durham (1988)
Bull Durham is a 1988 American romantic comedy film directed by Ron Shelton and starring Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins.
The film tells the story of an aging minor league baseball player (Costner), who gets one last shot at the big leagues when he joins a new team. The movie was praised for its humor and strong performances, as well as for its accurate portrayal of Minor League Baseball.
It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture and won the award for Best Screenplay. Costner also received a nomination for Best Actor.
5. 42 (2013)
42 is a 2013 American biographical sports film written and directed by Brian Helgeland about the life of Jackie Robinson, who became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era. The film stars Chadwick Boseman as Robinson and Harrison Ford as Branch Rickey, president and general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers. The film was released in North America on April 12, 2013.
The script is based on the biography “Jackie Robinson: An Intimate Portrait” by Rachel Robinson and Alfred Duckett that was published in 1992. It focuses primarily on his 1947 rookie season with the team when he broke MLB’s color barrier as a member of the Dodgers.
The film received largely positive reviews from critics and grossed over $95 million worldwide. Boseman was nominated for a BET Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an NAACP Image Award for his performance as Robinson. He also won the Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama.
6. A Mile in His Shoes (2011)
A Mile in His Shoes is a 2011 American drama film directed by Michael D. Olmos and starring Ethan Hawke, Lucas Black, Laurence Fishburne, Adam Beach and Luis Guzman.
The story follows the events of one day in the life of Jimmy Reese (Black), a young man who dreams of being a professional baseball player but is stuck working in a shoe factory. He meets an older man named Felix Hernandez (Fishburne), who works at the factory and tells Jimmy his story of how he played for the New York Mets during their 1969 season when they won the World Series against Baltimore Orioles.
Jimmy decides to follow his dream by joining Little League baseball team called the Yankees and, with the help of Hernandez, becomes one of their best players. However, his lack of experience eventually leads to a devastating loss.
The film was met with mixed reviews from critics but received a nomination for Best Actor at the Satellite Awards. Black also received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the Image Awards.
7. Moneyball (2011)
Moneyball is a 2011 American biographical sports drama film directed by Bennett Miller and written by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin. The film stars Brad Pitt as Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland Athletics baseball team, and Jonah Hill as Peter Brand, his assistant.
The story follows Beane’s attempts to put together a competitive baseball team on a budget by employing computer-generated analysis to acquire new players. The film was produced by Rachael Horovitz and Michael De Luca, and distributed by Columbia Pictures.
The film premiered in San Francisco on September 22, 2011 at the Mill Valley Film Festival before being released theatrically across North America on October 21, 2011.
It was a commercial success and received mostly positive reviews from critics, who praised the performances of Pitt and Hill as well as the film’s screenplay, direction, and themes. It was selected to be shown at the Mill Valley Film Festival on September 22 before being released theatrically across North America on October 21.
8. One Hit From Home (2012)
One Hit From Home is a 2012 American sports drama film written and directed by John David Ware. It stars Curt Doussett as baseball pitcher Jeremy Sowers, who was the first player chosen in the 2004 Major League Baseball draft.
The film follows Jeremy’s journey from high school standout to professional athlete, his struggles with injuries and personal relationships, and his eventual comeback as a pitcher. The movie was released on DVD by Warner Bros. in the United States on April 24, 2012.
The film received mixed reviews from critics but was praised for its acting performances, particularly Doussett’s performance as Jeremy Sowers.
9. The Benchwarmers (2006)
The Benchwarmers is a 2006 American sports comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan and written by Adam Sandler, who also stars in the film. It follows three men, Gus (Rob Schneider), Richie (David Spade), and Clark (Jon Heder), as they form their own baseball team to compete against bullies who have been tormenting them during childhood.
The film co-stars Jon Lovitz, Tim Meadows, Molly Sims and Nick Swardson. It was released in the United States on April 28, 2006 by Columbia Pictures and Revolution Studios.
It received generally negative reviews from critics but became a commercial success, grossing $59 million against its $33 million budget.
10. Hardball (2001)
Hardball is a 2001 American sports film directed by Brian Robbins and starring Keanu Reeves, Diane Lane, D. B. Sweeney, John Hawkes and Bryan Hearne. It was the first of two films produced by MTV Films to be distributed theatrically (the other being Crossroads), as well as the second feature film to be directed by Robbins.
The film follows Conor O’Neill (Reeves), a washed-up, alcoholic former professional baseball player who is now working as a substitute teacher and coaches the school’s little league team. When the players learn that their district will be merging with a rival school, they must join forces with their new rivals in order to win the city championship.
The film was released on September 21, 2001 to negative reviews and grossed only $19 million against its $40 million budget.
Baseball Documentaries on Netflix
Netflix also has a great selection of documentaries about baseball. Some of our favorites are The Battered Bastards of Baseball (2014), which tells the story of an independent minor league team that defied all odds to become champions, and Fastball (2016), which explores the science behind America’s favorite pastime. So if you’re interested in learning more about baseball, be sure to check out these great documentaries on Netflix!
Finally, if you’re looking for a little bit of humor mixed in with your baseball fun, then be sure to check out The League (2009-2015), a hilarious sitcom about a group of friends who compete in a fantasy baseball league. With its clever humor and lovable characters, The League is sure to keep you entertained for hours on end. So if you’re looking for a light-hearted baseball film to watch on Netflix, be sure to check out The League!
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