Major League
A sabotaged Cleveland baseball team turns a roster of comic misfits into an unexpectedly formidable underdog club.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- None
- witty
- irreverent
- energetic
- game day
- lazy sunday
What critics said
Critics generally found the film predictable and formulaic but praised its light, silly humor, funny performances, and well-built sports sequences.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The owner recruits an ostensibly terrible Cleveland baseball roster, whose players develop a shared goal and collective identity despite their contrasting weaknesses.
Rachel Phelps constructs the roster to lose so she can relocate the franchise to Miami.
The film combines silly character archetypes, voodoo rituals, flamboyant baseball behavior, and comic game sequences.
Past-his-prime catcher Jake Taylor and veteran pitcher Eddie Harris are placed alongside inexperienced, volatile players who must mature.
Films like Major League, and why
The Replacements
underdog sports comedy centered on an unlikely team overcoming institutional sabotage
The Longest Yard
irreverent professional sports comedy with eccentric characters, locker-room humor, and an upbeat ensemble arc
A League of Their Own
feel-good baseball comedy driven by team chemistry, comic failure, and competitive redemption
The Bad News Bears
broad, character-driven sports comedy featuring a misfit team and inspirational reversals
Movie Details
- Director
- David S. Ward
- Release Date
- 1989-02-16
- Runtime
- 107 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (916)
Cast
- Tom Berenger
- Charlie Sheen
- Corbin Bernsen
- Margaret Whitton
- James Gammon
- Rene Russo
- Wesley Snipes
- Charles Cyphers
- Chelcie Ross
- Dennis Haysbert
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- YouTube TV
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Major League about?
- A sabotaged Cleveland baseball team turns a roster of comic misfits into an unexpectedly formidable underdog club.
- What is Major League like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Major League as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Major League violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Major League.
- What did critics think of Major League?
- Critics generally found the film predictable and formulaic but praised its light, silly humor, funny performances, and well-built sports sequences.
- Which films are like Major League?
- Films with a similar feel include The Replacements, The Longest Yard, A League of Their Own, and The Bad News Bears.
- How long is Major League?
- Major League runs 107 minutes.
- Where can I watch Major League?
- In United States, Major League streams on YouTube TV.
