Million Dollar Arm

Million Dollar Arm is a sweet little film filled with a predictable plot and some stereotyping which might rub some the wrong way. Honestly I've seen way worse and if anything, this movie tries to be far more grounded than most. Watch it, you won't be disappointed.

An uplifting inspirational story of two individuals who rose above their shortcomings, Million Dollar Arm is highly recommended for its sincere and honest attempt to prove that dreams whether American or Indian can come true.

The fact that the film is based on a true story does help it pack a punch. The only trouble is that its knock could have been much harder.

While it mostly uses the standard operating procedure of the underdog story, it has a certain charm about it and the writer has done a fine job of creating some wonderful characters, including those who may have a lot of screen time, yet make their presence felt like Alan Arkin for instance. If you want to feel good, try this Million Dollar Arm.

Sure, there are all the usual cliches you'd expect from a movie that sees India through the Occidental lens. You have claustrophobically crowded streets, chaotic honking and food that gives Bernstein the runs. But these cliches are handled in such a deft manner by Gillespie as to make the overall package quite heartwarming.

If you are a fan of die-hard inspirational sports movie, Million Dollar Arm may disappoint you. But, if you are looking forward for a relaxed sports drama movie, this is it. Million Dollar Arm will make you feel good and happy. A well-crafted story of two sportsmen making it big. Time to pull out those tissues. We all love a little bit of emotional drama, don't we?

Million Dollar Arm keeps you engaged as McCarthy succeeds in peppering the script with a balance of light-hearted and poignant moments. AR Rahman's score is mishmash, drawing sounds from everywhere leaving the soundtrack with no standout track.

Visually, Director Craig Gillespie looks at India through the Hollywood prism, representing it as an uncanny bizarre country packed with weird living conditions with locals who unwittingly admit that "Here in India, we do things a little differently", making it look like a poor country cousin of "Slumdog Millionaire".

Million Dollar Arm is a Million Dollar Farce. It is a very Disney film. So there is insinuation of sex off screen and all of two kisses, but it is clean, feel good and unfortunately, also very predictable. They may as well have made this an animated flick and they would've gotten the same results.

A romantic subplot involving a cutesy tenant (Bell) is wearisome. AR Rahman's background music score is straight out of a Bollywood potboiler. At best, this well-intentioned triumph of the underdog tale makes for an okey-dokey matinee.

Million Dollar Arm may have a point when it questions the treatment of players as commodities and not humans, it overdoes the white saviour bit.