The Phenom (film)
| The Phenom | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Noah Buschel |
| Produced by |
Jeff Rice Jeff Elliott |
| Written by | Noah Buschel |
| Starring |
Johnny Simmons Yul Vazquez Sophie Kennedy Clark Paul Giamatti Ethan Hawke |
| Music by | Aleks de Carvalho |
| Cinematography | Ryan Samul |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | RLJ Entertainment |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Phenom is a 2016 American sports drama film written and directed by Noah Buschel, starring Johnny Simmons, Paul Giamatti, and Ethan Hawke. The film was released on June 24, 2016, by RLJ Entertainment.
Plot
A talented young pitcher struggles to throw strikes. The major league club sends him to a sports psychologist, where memories of his abusive father come to light.
Cast
- Johnny Simmons as Hopper Gibson
- Ethan Hawke as Hopper Sr.
- Paul Giamatti as Dr. Mobley
- Yul Vazquez as Eddie Soler
- Sophie Kennedy Clark as Dorothy Boyer
- Marin Ireland as Rachel Cullum
- Elizabeth Marvel as June Epland
- Louisa Krause as Candace Cassidy
- Alison Elliott as Susan Gibson
- Paul Adelstein as Scott Borwitz
Production
The Phenom was shot primarily in Atlanta, Georgia.[1] Principal photography wrapped on December 20, 2014.[2] Hawke had previously considered taking a part in Buschel's second film, 2007's Neal Cassady, and the two became friendly after that.[3]
Critical reception
On the film-review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a positive rating of 77% based on 44 reviews, with an average rating of 6.5/10. The site's consensus is, "Powerfully acted and emotionally affecting, The Phenom proves a baseball movie can step away from the mound and still deliver a heater down the middle."[4] The Village Voice said, "The Phenom is the baseball movie Robert Altman never made. Simmons is a wonder.”[5] The Hollywood Reporter described the film as “suffused with insight and intelligence," adding, "the film is another noteworthy effort from the writer/director of such intriguing if unfortunately little-seen dramas as Glass Chin and Sparrows Dance.”[6] The Los Angeles Times called it "an unusual and affecting baseball drama where nearly all the action is internal.”[7] Kyle Smith of the New York Post wrote, "Don't let its restraint fool you: As unshowy as it is, The Phenom has an impressive collection of tools.”[8] Matt Prigge of Metro New York wrote that "Noah Buschel might be one of indies’ most interesting filmmakers, all the moreso because he doesn’t belong to any easily-promotable group or even genre.”[9] Nick Allen of RogerEbert.com wrote, “A welcome surprise for sports cinema.“[10]
Release
The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 17, 2016.[11] The film was released on June 24, 2016, by RLJ Entertainment.[12]
References
- ↑ Jake Luis Garza, “FSHN Sits Down with Noah Buschel, Director of ‘Glass Chin’,” FSHN, 2015.
- ↑ Jeremy Kay, “Conquistador boards The Phenom for EFM,” Screen International, February 3, 2015.
- ↑ Michael Dunaway, “Ethan Hawke Messes With Your Mind,” Paste, January 15, 2015.
- ↑ The Phenom (2016) at Rotten Tomatoes.
- ↑ Serena Donadoni, "Noah Buschel's Baseball Drama 'The Phenom' Is an Ace You Can Count On," The Village Voice, June 22, 2016.
- ↑ Frank Scheck, "'The Phenom': Film Review," The Hollywood Reporter, June 22, 2016.
- ↑ Noel Murray, "'The Phenom' effectively dramatizes baseball's mind games," Los Angeles Times, June 23, 2016.
- ↑ Kyle Smith, "In ‘Phenom,’ a pitcher has the worst problem a pitcher can have," New York Post, June 23, 2016.
- ↑ Matt Prigge, "'The Phenom' is an unusually stripped-down indie about baseball," Metro New York, June 24, 2016.
- ↑ Nick Allen, "The Phenom," RogerEbert.com, June 24, 2016.
- ↑ Anthony D'Alessandro (2016-04-15). "[Watch] Ethan Hawke Takes Tough Love Too Far In 'The Phenom'". Deadline. Retrieved 2016-09-03.
- ↑ Mia Galuppo. "Ethan Hawke's Baseball Movie 'The Phenom' Nabbed by RLJ Entertainment for the U.S.". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2016-09-03.