"SUMMER CATCH"
(2001) (Freddie Prinze, Jr., Jessica Biel) (PG-13)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Heavy	Minor	Extreme	Minor	None
Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Moderate	None	Minor	Mild	Heavy
Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Heavy	Minor	Moderate	Moderate	Mild

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QUICK TAKE:

Drama: Despite facing long odds on both counts, a middle class young man romances a rich young woman while making one last effort at making a name for himself in the game of baseball.

PLOT:

Ryan Dunne (FREDDIE PRINZE, JR.) has lived in Cape Cod all of his life, where he's watched various young men play in the summer baseball league, hoping to impress professional major league scouts. Now, along with catcher Billy Brubaker (MATTHEW LILLARD), hotshot competing pitcher Eric Van Leemer (COREY PEARSON), and fellow players Miles Dalrymple (MARC BLUCAS) and Mickey "Domo" Dominguez (WILMER VALDERRAMA), Ryan is taking his one last shot at playing professional ball.

Accordingly, and when not fooling around with the promiscuous Dede Mulligan (BRITTANY MURPHY), mowing lawns for his father, Sean (FRED WARD) and his lawn service, or hanging out with his friends Auggie (GABRIEL MANN) and Pete (JED ROBERT RHEIN) at the local bar where his brother, Mike (JASON GEDRICK) works serving drinks, Ryan tries to impress the Chatham A's coach, John Schiffner (BRIAN DENNEHY).

Known equally for his skill as well as his inconsistent nature coupled with a reputation for being hotheaded on the mound, Ryan has his work cut out for him. The same holds true when he finds himself attracted to Tenley Parrish (JESSICA BIEL), the pretty daughter of Rand Parrish (BRUCE DAVISON), a wealthy lawn client who doesn't approve of their romance due to their class differences.

As the season begins and a professional scout (JOHN C. McGINLEY) observes his game, Ryan tries to prove his worth both on and off the diamond, all while dealing with both internal and external obstacles that might derail both his personal and professional aspirations.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?

If they're fans of Prinze, Jr., Biel, anyone else in the cast, baseball movies or are teenage girls who like this sort of film, they just might.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13

For sexual content, language and some drinking.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:

FREDDIE PRINZE, JR. plays an aspiring and skilled, but inconsistent and hotheaded ballplayer who drinks, fools around with Dede and Tenley, occasionally uses profanity and must decide what he wants in both his personal and professional life.

JESSICA BIEL plays a young woman from a rich family who must also decide what she wants in life, all while putting up with her father's plans for her and dealing with her romance with Ryan.

MATTHEW LILLARD plays another player and good friend to Ryan who drinks, apparently has sex with Dede and makes fun of overweight women.

BRIAN DENNEHY plays the team's coach who uses some profanity while angry at and/or trying to inspire the team.

FRED WARD plays Ryan's father who runs a lawn service and eventually comes around to supporting his son's dreams after initially doubting his chances of succeeding. He drinks some.

JASON GEDRICK plays Ryan's bartender brother who uses some profanity and hates seeing Ryan wasting his talent.

BRITTANY MURPHY plays a local girl who fools around with various guys, including Ryan and Billy.

BRUCE DAVISON plays Tenley's elitist father who looks down on Ryan and his dad as sub-class people and does what he can to ruin Ryan and Tenley's relationship. He uses some brief profanity.

MARC BLUCAS plays another ball player with a penchant for large women (he briefly fools around with one).

WILMER VALDERRAMA plays a young player who must put up with his middle-aged house mom repeatedly coming on to him.

COREY PEARSON plays a competing and cocky pitcher who is mean/disrespectful to Ryan.

GABRIEL MANN and JED ROBERT RHEIN play Ryan's hometown friends who root him on and drink on various occasions.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

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Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

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OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

The following is a brief summary of the content found in this drama that's been rated PG-13. Profanity is listed as heavy due to at least 1 use of the "f" word, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Some sexually related dialogue is present, while several sexual encounters are implied or occur off camera (in one such case we see an apparently nude couple in a sleeping bag and they put on the other's underwear). One young woman sleeps around and a middle-aged housemother repeatedly tries to seduce a young man (and apparently does sexual things with various vegetables).

Various people are seen in thong underwear (thus showing parts of male and female bare butts and a bulge in the front of the thong one man is wearing) and/or skimpy/revealing outfits (such as a shapely young woman seen in slow motion after coming out of a pool in a small bikini and another woman who bends over in such a low-cut top that she might as well be topless).

Various characters drink - many of them young players - some to the point of being somewhat intoxicated, while some of them and others have varying degrees of bad attitudes (including an elitist father and some young men who repeatedly make fun of obese women). Some brief violence (pushing others) and smoking is also present, as are some tense family moments and imitative behavior.

Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, you may want to examine our detailed content listings for more specific examples of what's present and/or occurs during it.

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ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE

We see Dede playfully holding a beer bottle between her knees, allowing its contents to pour into Ryan's mouth below her. Others with them drink as well, but he says he's sworn off women and beer for the baseball season. After a moment, however, she does the beer from between the knees trick again.

Various people drink in a bar, where Ryan comes in and orders three beers from his brother, the bartender.

Sean drinks beer.

Various players and others have beer in the local bar.

Sean drinks a beer, and we later see many empty bottles in front of him at home where Ryan also has a beer. Sean acts a bit intoxicated.

Ryan and Billy have beer in the local bar.

Dede does the beer between the knees thing for Billy (pouring it into his mouth from there) and he seems a bit intoxicated (while others with them also drink).

Ryan has a beer.

Mr. Parrish invites Ryan in for a beer at his home, but Ryan doesn't drink it.

Auggie and Pete drink beer.

Ryan, Auggie and Pete have beer.

We see Tenley cutting Ryan's grass in a skimpy outfit that causes Billy to leer out at her and ask what else one could need other than some beers in a cooler hanging around her neck.

People have drinks at a party, including Mr. Parrish.

Some people drink beer.

Domo chugs a beer while others cheer him on.

Various ball players drink or have beer in front of them.

A young girl dresses as a one-legged fisherman mascot and states that she likes to drink (while acting like a stereotypical man of that nature).

Pete drinks.

More people have drinks in the local bar.

BLOOD/GORE

Billy jokes about farting in the umpire's face and makes various related comments about that (trying to explain why the ump is making calls against them).

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE

Van Leemer doesn't like Ryan and constantly tries to put him down.

Various people, including Billy, make fun of some "fat" woman Miles was with the night before. They state she had strings hanging off her from the last time they steered her through a parade (meaning a large float). Later, Billy comments about a large woman with Miles and states, "That is unhealthy." He then states that she's too big for him and that he's afraid that in the heat of passion one of them is going to roll over and squash him dead. There are more related jokes later, such as if she wore high heels, she'd strike oil, and what did one "fat chick" say to the other "fat chick" (with the answer being, "Who cares? You're fat"). One then says that fat women are like mopeds - they're fun to ride but you don't want your friends to see you doing it. Mile does finally stand up and state that he loves large women.

Sean doesn't initially support Ryan seeing Tenley.

Pete wonders that if he could compete in the special Olympics if he cut off his own arm (Auggie tells him how stupid that is).

Ryan occasionally develops a bad attitude during games and then takes the self-pity route once it seems his chance at stardom is gone.

We see Tenley cutting Ryan's grass in a skimpy outfit that causes Billy to leer out at her and ask what else one could need other than some beers in a cooler hanging around her neck.

Mr. Parrish has a condescending/elitist attitude toward Ryan and his dad, as well as Ryan's chances with Tenley (telling him that he and his friends might reconsider their contracts with Sean if Ryan keeps seeing Tenley) and is mean to Tenley.

Van Leemer and three other people break into the press box so that they can fool around (2 guys and 2 girls) and inadvertently cause the place to burn down.

FRIGHTENING SCENES

Ryan has to rescue Van Leemer and others when they become trapped in a burning press box (a relatively short scene).

GUNS/WEAPONS

None.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR

Phrases: "What the f*ck was I thinking?" "Bullsh*t," "I'm tired of this sh*t," "What you think don't mean sh*t," "Oh sh*t," "Wise ass," "I can screw this up on my own," "Skirt" (woman), "Fat chick" (woman), "Big ass," "Wood bats suck," "Give 'em hell," "I'm getting jacked for a girl" (stood up/left), "You've got a bag full of talent and a head full of crap," "Piss it away," "You bet your ass," "You know damn well," "You can take your lawn job and shove it up your ass," "Knuckleheads," "Now get the hell out of my sight - I'm sick of looking at you" and "Massive assive."

Some kids could get the idea to repeat all of the fat jokes and comments or make up some of their own (listed under "Bad Attitudes").

We see Dede playfully holding a beer bottle between her knees, allowing its contents to pour into Ryan's mouth below her.

Van Leemer has various tattoos on his arms.

Tenley wears a midriff-baring top.

Billy gives Ryan "the finger" (upside down) when giving his catcher's calls to the pitcher.

Angry about striking out once again, Billy breaks a baseball bat over his knee.

JUMP SCENES

None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)

A brief bit of such music plays in one scene.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)

While mowing the lawn, Ryan spots Tenley getting out of the pool in her very small bikini (that shows off her buxom/shapely body and a great deal of skin as she walks in slow motion) and we hear a song playing that seductively states "Kiss me on the lips...run your fingers through my hair...").

Another song mentioned "sex" in the lyrics, but we couldn't catch/understand the rest of them.

PROFANITY

At least 1 "f" word, 9 "s" words, 2 slang terms for sex ("screwing"), 1 slang term for male genitals ("Johnson"), 11 asses, 4 damns, 2 hells, 2 S.O.B.s, 1 crap, 4 uses of "My God," 2 of "G-damn" and 1 use each of "Oh my God" and "Swear to God" as exclamations.

SEX/NUDITY

A running gag is that Domo's housemother repeatedly tries to seduce him. At the very beginning of the film, we hear her telling him to come to her, and that she has "something" for him (and he looks terrified/nervous about that). We later hear her voice seductively asking if he's awake and that she knows he's not sleeping (but he pretends to be). Later, another player comes in and enthusiastically tells Domo that this woman was incredible and that she made all of the grapes disappear (which we later learn apparently means that she put them up inside a certain part of her female anatomy). In another scene, we hear this woman telling Domo that she has something for him. Domo finally goes in to see his middle-aged woman who's seductively sitting on her bed in her lingerie that shows cleavage (we also see her garter-covered thigh). She tells him not to be bashful and that she can help him (saying she's "real good with ball players"). She then tells him to give her a large cucumber from a basket at the foot of her bed and she sensuously grabs it when he hands it to her. We then see Domo recounting this story with the guys and stating that the cucumber completely disappeared (suggesting where she put it in her body). Billy then states that he had lunch with that woman today (the day after Domo's encounter with her) and that she made him cucumber salad.

We see Dede playfully holding a beer bottle between her knees, allowing its contents to pour into Ryan's mouth below her. She then straddles his lap and attempts to take off his shirt, but he says he's sworn off women and beer for the baseball season. Dede then seductively tells him to take a good hard look at what he's passing up on (she shows some cleavage), and says something about riding up and down on the great grass of the Cape. She then adds that she wants that to be the last parting image in his mind (as she straddles his lap in her tight shorts). He finally gives in and we then see her doing the beer between the knees thing again.

Moments later, we see the two of them squirming around inside his sleeping back (out on the baseball field at night). He then asks why girls always take his underwear (as we see her grabbing his and then putting them on under the sleeping bag). She says she does so because his boxers are more comfortable, so he then takes her thong and puts it on. He then gets up and runs around the field at night, so we see brief views of his bare butt cheeks from a distance (while we see her in her bra).

The next morning, they wake up in the bag and she leaves with his clothes (as she bends over, she shows a great deal of cleavage and a great deal of her breasts in her very low cut bra). He then gets up, runs to the locker room and we and his teammates and coach then see him wearing her pink thong (we see a closer view of his bare butt cheeks).

While mowing the lawn, Ryan spots Tenley getting out of the pool in her very small bikini (that shows off her buxom/shapely body and a great deal of skin as she walks in slow motion) and thus becomes distracted, mowing over some flowers and then running into a bird feeder post.

Dede shows up at a bar where Ryan is sitting with Tenley and states that she wants her underwear back, but he says he can't give them to her since he's still wearing them.

Billy jokes about Ryan's attraction to Tenley, stating, "So you mow her lawn, and now you're trying to mow her lawn" (innuendo).

Billy talks about Domo and his housemother, stating that the latter is "hot and wants his Johnson." Billy then asks Domo if he's a virgin, with another player saying he doesn't have to answer that. Billy then tells him to go home "and tap that ass."

Miles talks about the quality of his male teammates' rear ends, but then adds that he's not doing so in a sexual manner. Billy then tells Ryan that Miles "thinks you have a nice pooper."

Tenley briefly, but passionately kisses Ryan.

After spotting a girl dressed up like a clam mascot for the team, Pete asks if that's what he got from Dede, causing Auggie to tell him that he got crabs and not clams from her.

Billy gives Ryan "the finger" (upside down) when giving his catcher's calls to the pitcher and then dangles it back and forth between his legs (possibly joking about it being a penis).

Sean drunkenly mentions Tenley trying to "get daddy's attention by screwing the lawn boy."

Dede suggestively comes on to Billy stating, "I'll make sure you get off" (after Billy wants to make sure he can get to the bus station to get off okay). As they and others hop into a convertible, her clothed rear end is briefly in his face, causing him to comment on that and her then asking, "Do you like it?" He replies, "I always like a butt in my face." Later, we see Dede doing the beer between her legs thing for Billy and then them rolling around on the beach and him ending up on top of her between her legs (both are clothed). Billy then strips off his clothes behind an inflatable raft and then runs out into the water with it (we briefly see part of his bare butt during this).

Ryan and Tenley passionately kiss and then lie down on the ground, continuing to do so with him partially on top of her (both are clothed).

We briefly see Billy in Dede's small thong the morning after apparently having sex with her (she's not there) and we see a large bulge in the front of that thong.

We see Miles with a large woman, Marjorie, who comes out in small panties and a bra (that shows cleavage). She then jumps on him on a bed and we see most of her large bare butt in her thong bottom.

Planning to go swimming in her pool in the rain, Tenley takes off her pants that reveal her in a small/string bikini or panties and we see several views of her in them. Ryan then strips down to his boxers to join her in the pool.

Billy comments about a large woman with Miles and states, "That is unhealthy" and then adds that Domo thinks that all sex is unhealthy. He then states that she's too big for him and that he's afraid in the heat of passion one of them is going to roll over and squash him dead.

A player makes a comment about Ryan's pitching: "Does his wife know he's screwing us?" (a double entendre).

We see Tenley cutting Ryan's grass in a skimpy outfit that causes Billy to leer out at her and ask what else one could need other than some beers in a cooler hanging around her neck.

One of the players jokes that fat women are like mopeds - they're fun to ride but you don't want your friends to see you doing it.

SMOKING

Tenley's mother smokes once, as does some miscellaneous man in the stands with a cigar.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES

We hear that Ryan's mother died sometime recently, and there's some brief talk about that between Ryan and his coach, Ryan and his brother, and Ryan and his father.

Ryan and his dad have some tense moments concerning their relationship and Ryan's future.

Tenley doesn't get along with her dad, especially when she hears that he's invited her ex-boyfriend/fiancé up for a visit.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT

Pursuing one's dreams - whether they're occupational or romantic - despite whatever the odds might be.

Dede apparently sleeping around with various players and they doing the same with her.

Romeo and Juliet style romances where the participants come from different societal classes.

VIOLENCE

Various players push each other after Ryan and Van Leemer briefly get into a shoving match.

Angry about striking out once again, Billy breaks a baseball bat over his knee.

As he leaves the house, Ryan pushes his dad backwards in anger.

Ryan accidentally hits a batter with a wild pitch.

Reviewed August 21, 2001 / Posted August 24, 2001

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