Baseball Movie Review: Calvin Marshall (2009)

We all have that one friend. You know the one. He or she talks a big game, but their game can’t back up their mouth. Sometimes that can drive you nuts, but darn it, they’re still so lovable you decide to overlook their quirks. Besides, your buddy isn’t trying to fool anyone. They actually believe it. That, in a nutshell, is Calvin Marshall.

“Calvin Marshall” is a Rudy-esque tale of a junior college kid who is a legend among his friends as a baseball star. But the reality is that his friends are beer league softball guys and little leaguers. When we meet him, he’s getting ready to try out for his juco baseball team for the third year in a row. Coach Little, a hard-drinking, temperamental guy who flamed out in the minor leagues due to injury, is conflicted when it comes to Marshall. He primarily sees him as a running joke for the team, almost a mascot, but he can’t help but admire the kid’s passion, determination, and persistence. When not on the field, Marshall is heading up the campus sports news channel and finds himself covering the women’s volleyball team. When a new transfer, Tori Jensen, arrives and dominates the v-ball scene, he’s smitten. Somehow, his persistence and determination pay off with the way-out-of-his-league outside hitter. Will he get the girl? Will he leave his mark on the baseball team?

First Pitch: The opening scene shows Calvin Marshall, played by Alex Frost, instructing some little leaguers. He’s in full uniform and talks the talk. At this point, you have every reason to believe he’s a really good baseball player for some college or minor league team. He’s even signing autographs. Then, it cuts to him putting in some intense workouts at the crack of dawn. This guy is clearly a gamer. But when tryouts for the junior college team start, it’s evident almost immediately that he not only lacks talent, but he’s been through this so many times that the coaches are just rolling their eyes.

Mid Innings: Coach Little can’t bring himself to cut Calvin, though he’s never going to play him. He ends up on the team practically as a mascot. He’s clueless about this, though. When a new volleyball transfer comes in who seems way too talented to be at their junior college, Calvin befriends her and eventually starts a tentative romance. Things start to unravel, though, as she realizes he’s not really honest about his role on the team, and everyone, including Coach Little, has to do a little self-examination.

The Final Out: The ending to Calvin Marshall is not what you’d expect, but it has an element of, “Wait, what? That’s it?” to it. The ending of the film might be a bit lackluster, but I like that it’s not the typical, predictable Hollywood ending.

“Calvin Marshall” is a bit of a unicorn in that it has almost no baseball action in it, but it still feels like a baseball movie. The baseball talk is on point. Calvin is portrayed as a guy who knows the game inside out, and it’s believable. There’s some pretty good volleyball action in there as well, for what it’s worth. The actors all look like they can legitimately play the sports, especially Michelle Lombardo, who plays Tori Jensen. Turns out she was the captain of her high school volleyball team before becoming a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model. Who knew? The ending of the film might be a bit lackluster, but I like that it’s not the typical, predictable Hollywood ending.

For what I assume was a lower-budget movie, the writing, acting, and look of this movie are all pretty legit. Alex Frost, who plays Marshall, makes me think of a young John Cusack. He’s disarming and likable to a point where you really want him to catch a break. Coach Little is played by none other than the pride of Marshall, Minnesota, Steve Zahn, and he’s perfect for the part. He’s fiesty and funny in that twitchy small-dog sort of way that is his trademark. Lombardo is fine, and the rest of the cast all play their roles well. 

I’ll admit. When I clicked play on this movie, I was not expecting much. What I got was a really fun, hour-and-a-half-long baseball flick. In fact, I think I’ve watched it three times in the past year. “Calvin Marshall” may not have the gravitas of “Moneyball” or “Field of Dreams,” but the characters make you care about them, and it’s an enjoyable ride. If you’re reading my blog, hoping to find some hidden baseball movie gems that you’ve never heard of, this is one of them. 

Run Time: 1 hr 33 min
IMDB Score: 5.8/10
Scorecard: Sneaky hustle double
Best line:  “Marshall! You couldn’t hit a bull in the a## with a shovel!” – Coach Little

Player of the Game: While I love Zahn, and he’s great in this role, it’s a pretty typical role for him. Alex Frost, whom I’ve never seen before, is excellent as Calvin. A character that could easily be annoying is actually pretty lovable. You want to root for him. 

Interested in learning more about this year’s class of free agents? Check out our comprehensive top 50 prospects list, with scouting reports, projected contracts, and more!

View Top 50 MLB Free Agents