KSL Movie Show review: ‘You Gotta Believe’ is cheesy, but filled with heart

Editor’s note: This is an editorial piece. An editorial, like a news article, is based on fact but also shares opinions. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and are not associated with our newsroom.

SALT LAKE CITY — I’m not gonna lie to ya. “You Gotta Believe,” this based-on-a true-story film has more extra cheese than a Cheese-It factory in the heart of Wisconsin.  Just about every sports cliché in the history of sports movies is wedged into this little heartfelt burrito.

They want you to think that this is the next “Sandlot.” To make sure that happens they even hire Ham the curly-headed catcher (Patrick Renna) from that Utah classic to play a local Fort Worth businessman in search of a team to go to the Little League World Series – like it’s all that easy. Well, it isn’t.

Relate: KSL Movie Show review: ‘Reagan’ is a mixed bag

To show you how far they need to go to become a real baseball team, they start with players falling asleep in the dugout. They show some poor kid getting knocked out by a routine fly ball he’s supposed to easily catch. They have to introduce the balls to the bats after every loss because the two have never met. To the point, they make the “Bad News Bears” look like the New York Yankees (when they were good) teehee. 

How do they make that happen?

It’s going to take the greatest music montage in the history of athletic “getting better” montages to do it. John Fogerty’s “Centerfield” song – you know “put me in coach, I’m ready to play” yeah that song — is not gonna be good enough. Honestly, I can’t remember what song they used, but it wasn’t that one. And that might be the biggest shocker twist in the film.

So now that their skills have dramatically improved, they’ll need some motivation to get them through their state and regional qualifiers to get them to the “big show” in Williamsport, PA. Now early on, when they were horrible, they were coached by an overworked attorney, Jon Kelly (Greg Kinnear). He was actually studying briefs in the dugout, while the players meandered around. His assistant and best pal, Bobby Ratliff (Luke Wilson) was a good-ole-boy optimist who had a kid on the team, Robert Jr. (Michael Cash), who struggled with hitting like the rest of them, but it really bothered him, because he wanted to make his dad proud. 

More from the KSL Movie Show: “Sing Sing” is brilliant

Well, when dad collapses on the field during practice and the diagnosis is terminal cancer, now the boys have something to play for. They have “Bobby” embroidered on the side of their caps and believe if they win, he will win.

So the stage is set for this magical run for the Westside All-Stars out of Fort Worth, Texas to get to the 2002 Little League World Series, fight for a possible championship and save Bobby in the process.

There is a great moment between father and son that will bring on the waterworks. But the movie also brings forth the values of friendship, determination, faith and hard work. So in that regard, despite all of that extra cheese you’ll have to wade through, there is an inspiring true story at it’s chewy center that will definitely touch your heart. And that’s just enough for me. 

YOU GOTTA BELIEVE (B) Rated PG for thematic content, language and suggestive references. Starring Luke Wilson, Greg Kinnear, Sarah Gadon, Molly Parker and Lew Temple. Directed by Ty Roberts (“The Iron Orchard” “12 Mighty Orphans”) – filmed in Forth Worth and Labatt Memorial Park, Ontario, Canada. Running time: 104 minutes.   

The KSL Movie Show with Andy Farnsworth and Steve Salles airs Fridays on KSL NewsRadio from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Follow the show on Facebook, and join The KSL Movie Show Club for exclusive perks by texting MOVIE to 57500. Message and data rates may apply. Text STOP to cancel. Message frequency varies.