Sugar (7.8/10)

This 2009 film is labeled a “sports movie,” though I put that in quotes because it’s about much more than just baseball. While the sport is central to the story, the film focuses more deeply on life in the Dominican Republic, and other baseball-loving nations, where young men dream of making it to America, earning a spot in the MLB, and transforming their families’ futures. The ending is particularly powerful, leaving you reflecting on many current MLB players and what they may have endured to reach that level. It adds a layer of realism and perspective that stays with you after the credits roll. The acting is solid, though not extraordinary. Still, if you’re in the mood for a different kind of sports film, one that explores cultural challenges and personal sacrifice as much as athletic ambition, this movie is worth watching. "Like many young men in the Dominican Republic, 19-year-old Miguel "Sugar" Santos (Algenis Perez Soto) dreams of winning a slot on an American baseball team. Indeed, his talents as a pitcher eventually land him a slot on a single-A team in Iowa, but culture shock, racism and other curveballs threaten to turn Sugar's dream sour."