Angels in the Outfield (1994)

July 15, 1994

July 15, 1994

Angels in the Outfield is a 1994 American family sports fantasy comedy-drama film directed by William Dear. It is a loose remake of the 1951 film of the same name. It stars Danny Glover, Tony Danza and Christopher Lloyd, and features several future stars, including Joseph Gordon-Levitt (in the lead), Adrien Brody, Matthew McConaughey, and Neal McDonough. It was followed by two made for TV sequels, Angels in the Endzone and Angels in the Infield. It was released less than a month before the 1994 MLB Baseball Strike, which forced the league to cancel the playoffs and the World Series.

Storyline

Young foster child Roger Bomman and his friend, J.P., love to sneak into baseball games of the struggling California Angels. Still in limited contact with his widowed father, Roger asks when they will be a family again. His father replies sarcastically, "I'd say when the Angels win the pennant". Taking his father's words literally, he prays for God to help the Angels win. The next day, at a game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Roger sees a group of angels led by Al helping the team. Although he can see them quite clearly, everyone else can only explain the seemingly impossible acts as freak occurrences. Roger's unique ability to see which players are receiving help from angels leads their skeptical manager George Knox to keep him around as a good luck charm and consultant. Due to the much-needed help, the Angels start to win games and make a surprising second-half surge to the top of their division.

Roger's father permanently gives up custody of him, believing it is in Roger's best interest. As Roger laments his loss, an equally distraught J.P. accidentally reveals to antagonistic sportscaster Ranch Wilder that Roger has the ability to see angels, and that Knox has been winning through the advice Roger gave him. Hoping to permanently end Knox's career in baseball since their days as players, Ranch informs the press of this, and their owner Hank Murphy threatens to relieve Knox of his management responsibilities. Roger comes clean to his caretaker Maggie Nelson about his special ability, and at a press conference, they and the entire team defend Knox in front of the press. Moved by their faith, Murphy allows him to remain as the Angels' manager.

During the final game of the season against the rival Chicago White Sox, Al appears to Roger and explains that championships have to be won on their own. He also reveals that pitcher Mel Clark is "coming up" in six months due to his years of smoking. Mel struggles in the ninth inning but perseveres after encouragement from Knox, his team, and the everyone in the stadium (minus Ranch and the Sox), who wave their hands to manipulate him into believing that an angel is there to help him. The Angels ultimately win the game on their own and clinch the division title and the pennant, while Murphy fires Ranch for insulting the team on the air. Knox adopts Roger and J.P., as he wants to try to be a father. J.P. sees Al and says, "I knew it could happen". Al flies off and tells the audience that he and the angels are "always watching".

Also See

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