Phil Alden Robinson directs this family fantasy drama about struggling Iowa corn farmer Ray Kinsella, who lives with his wife, Annie (Amy Madigan), and their daughter, Karin (Gaby Hoffman). We learn that Ray is haunted by his broken relationship with his late father, John (Dwier Brown).
Ray begins hearing voices telling him, “If you build it, he will come,” accompanied by visions of a baseball field and “Shoeless” Joe Jackson (Ray Liotta) standing in the middle of it. With his wife’s blessing, he plows under part of his crop and builds a baseball diamond, telling his daughter about the 1919 Black Sox scandal as he builds it. Eventually, other players from the past begin appearing from the corn field, playing baseball and putting on a show.
What follows is a tearjerking story of redemption, second chances, and reconciliation. It’s beautifully filmed, with sentimental but smartly written dialog, and the acting and soundtrack are both great. James Earl Jones is fantastic as Terence Mann, a controversial author and recluse who shares Ray’s visions. Keep your eyes peeled in the Fenway Park scene and you might see then-teenage Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, who were cast as extras. Such a great family movie! (107 min.)
—Glen Starkey
This article appears in Aug 1-11, 2024.