Generally speaking, baseball movies (and sports flicks in general) tend to follow a down-on-your-luck team or player as they wise up, overcome obstacles, and win the Big Game. Rarely does a film probe the psychological underpinnings of a rising star, but the upcoming “The Phenom” does just that, in what looks like “Whiplash” for baseball.
Ethan Hawke stars in what would be the J.K. Simmons role, playing the father of a young pitcher, who bullies his son into achieving his personal best. Meanwhile, Paul Giamatti is the sports psychologist hoping to help the athlete overcome his overbearing parent. Here’s the official synopsis:
When major-league rookie pitcher Hopper Gibson (Johnny Simmons) can’t find the plate, he’s sent down to the minor leagues and begins sessions with an unorthodox sports psychologist (Paul Giamatti). In the process, hidden conflicts with his overbearing father (Ethan Hawke) are brought to light.
“The Phenom” opens in limited release and hits VOD on June 24th. Watch the trailer above.
