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Disney’s Million Dollar Arm – A Winning Combination

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Million Dollar Arm

Disney always has an eye out for great, real life human interest stories, and my family loves a good sport story – especially baseball, so Million Dollar Arm is a winning combination for us. We loved it on the big screen and now we are enjoying it at home on Blu-Ray/DVD, since its release on Oct 7th, 2014. Million Dollar Arm is a must own addition to some of our oft loved Disney sport themed movies. (I can’t tell you how many times my husband has watched Disney’s ‘Remember the Titans’).

We are deeply immersed in the World Series just now, as our favorite team is playing. Baseball is, of course, America’s favorite pastime, and Million Dollar Arm is set against the backdrop of our favorite pastime. Starring Jon Hamm (“Mad Men,” “The Town,” “Bridesmaids”)  as a down and out sport agent in pursuit of that one deal that will set him aright, he sets out in search of the next great major league baseball pitcher and in the process finds new value in life, the true value of teamwork, commitment and what it means to be a family.

million dollar arm

The movie is definitely a grand-slam with the acting abilities of Suraj Sharma (“Life of Pi”), Madhur Mittal (“Slumdog Millionaire”), Bill Paxton (“Big Love,” “Apollo 13”), Lake Bell (“Boston Legal,” “No Strings Attached”) and Alan Arkin (“Argo,” “Little Miss Sunshine”). Some of our favorite scenes explore the cultural innocence of  Dinesh and Rinku – cricket stars from India with Amazing throwing arms, but no knowledge of American Baseball. With the help of cantankerous but eagle-eyed retired baseball scout Ray Poitevint (Alan Arkin), sports agent JB Bernstein (Hamm) discovers Dinesh (Madhur Mittal) and Rinku (Suraj Sharma, who is so stinkin handsome) and brings them to America to learn the art of pitching for Baseball. There’s some very tender moments when they tenderly leave their families in India to embark on their adventure. They’re out of their element of  family life in a small  Indian village,  as is Bernstein, who is out of his element of being personally responsible for other humans.  JB is in it for the money, but in the process, he learns more about himself and the value of committment than he ever bargained for. 

Disney can be counted on for quality and committment in bringing to the big screen that touch of humanity that inspires us all to reach down deep and discover what’s important in life. And . . . don’t forget the element of winning and achieving beyond what we think we’re capable of. Million Dollar Arm delivers in these department.

Don’t miss out on a some great family entertainment with Million Dollar Arm. Our family highly recommends it. We’re grateful for the PG rating, as well. 

Million Dollar Arm Taj Majal

Million Dollar Arm is expertly directed by Craig Gillespie (“Fright Night,” “Lars and the Real Girl”), written by Thomas McCarthy (“Up,” “Win Win”) and produced by Mark Ciardi & Gordon Gray (“The Rookie,” “Invincible,” “Secretariat”) and Joe Roth (“Alice in Wonderland,” “Maleficent”).

As a bonus feature to your Blu-Ray/DVD pack you’ll find:

 Training Camp – Actors Suraj Sharma and Madhur Mittal face the same daunting challenges their characters Rinku and Dinesh did—learning how to pitch a baseball.

 Their Story – The real JB Bernstein, Rinku and Dinesh explore the legacy of the Million Dollar Arm contest and its impact on the lives and aspirations of children in India…and their own lives as well.

 Million Dollar Music by A.R. Rahman – The Oscar-winning composer (Best Original Score, “Slumdog Millionaire,” 2008) talks about creating music that encompasses two worlds—India and the U.S.

FYI – Rinku Singh is currently signed with the Pittsgburgh Pirates, but recovering from Tommy John surgery all 2014 season.

Dinesh Patel also signed with the Pirates, but only played a few seasons and returned to India to finish his education and help support his family which all benefitted from his Million Dollar Arm experience. 

 

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Emily Buys

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