The Natural Movie Review

The Natural (1984)

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Written by: Bernard Malamud (novel), Roger Towne and Phil Dusenberry (screenplay)
Directed by: Barry Levinson
Starring: Robert Redford, Robert Duvall, Glenn Close, Kim Basinger, Wilford Brimley, Barbara Hershey, Michael Madsen
Rated: PG
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Plot
A middle-aged unknown comes seemingly out of nowhere to become a legendary baseball player with almost supernatural talent.

Verdict
The game winning hit is an absolutely iconic scene, and it's only with baseball that you can build the suspense this does in that scene. It's the culmination of a redemption arc for the hero, but what needs to be redeemed is the question. The event that starts the redemption arc is less clear, and the reason for that is that the movie is afraid to make Roy anything less than heroic. Making his tragedy more his fault would crystalize his motives. It's unclear what past mistake he must overcome.
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Review
A much lauded storybook ending for the movie, but the conclusion differs from the book in which Roy strikes out and his backstory revealed in the papers amid accusations that he threw the game. They're very different properties with different focuses.

Roy Hobbs (Robert Redford) is scouted for the New York Knights. He's a thirty-five year old rookie and the manager considers him over the hill. Roy was a kid with a lot of talent, and his dad impressed upon him to work hard and not rely on talent alone. With a bat he forged from a lightning struck tree, Roy seemed destined for stardom.

Robert Redford plays Roy Hobbs

Roy encounters the Whammer, the best baseball player alive that seems to be based on Babe Ruth. A woman is interested in the Whammer until Roy unseats him as the best. Then she's interested in Roy. She's some kind of ego check for Roy that kicks off the plot. This part of the story makes sense that the woman is after the Whammer. He's skilled and a loudmouth. If Roy was arrogant, you'd get her motives against him. That sets up a redemption arc though what's being redeemed is unclear. With this movie, Roy was a hopeful kid with a tragic accident. As a note, Redford does not play a convincing eighteen year old.

We don't get much information on Roy's intervening years. It's unclear if he gave up or has struggled for twenty years to play in the bigs. Why does he want to prove himself now? Roy impressed the manager in batting practice and manages to get into the game. He immediately changes the tides for the team. He throws one pitch in batting practice which causes him to clutch his side. He was a pitcher before his accident, so did it take him this long to become a hitter? Then again, he created his bat as a kid. Who knows.

Roy meets a girl and starts playing terribly. You'd think he'd learn his lesson from earlier in the movie. As good as he was, now he's bad which is an echo to an encounter he had with a girl before that derailed his entire career. This is a redemption arc, but Roy's confidence wasn't portrayed as a flaw. He wasn't arrogant, he backed up his claims. His future was condemned out of malice, and the plot would work better if Roy was overcoming a personal flaw and not just a random act of violence. I can understand the motive against the arrogant Whammer but not Roy. If Roy had been arrogant, his arc makes sense. We see an older hero now humbled by time and being passed over, trying to make a comeback. Roy had a chance to be great, if only for a moment.

Robert Redford plays Roy Hobbs

In a conversation, Roy talks about mistakes you never stop paying for and he should have seen it coming, but he couldn't have. No one could have. What does he see as the issue? His injury was required for the plot. The movie, Redford, or both didn't want to make his character anything less than heroic. This could set up his comeback as trying to prove he can do it, doing it for his dad, or overcoming his mistake (which there wasn't one, but it could have been arrogance).

The ending is a nod to Casey at the Bat with a happy ending instead. The reason this movie is so highly regarded is the climax. We get Roy battling an injury in the big game. Only in baseball can you draw out the suspense with a foul ball, a big miss, and then his special bat breaking. It's incredible suspense. Roy's hit and the iconic music is an incredible moment. In other sports, a goal is a goal. In baseball you can have a home run that is absolutely demolished that makes it more than just a simple home run. This scene is so great that it helps overcome the issues in the movie.