The Natural
A wounded baseball prodigy returns as a middle-aged batter and transforms a struggling 1930s team through talent, myth, and hard-won redemption.
Overview
A middle-aged baseball prodigy emerges from obscurity to fulfill his dreams against all odds.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- wistful
- nostalgic
- uplifting
- baseball season
- inspirational movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly admire the film's craftsmanship, baseball imagery, performances, and inspirational fable-like appeal, while some find its length, portentousness, and simplified ending excessive.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Roy Hobbs is framed as a near-legendary figure whose bat, talent, and comeback transform baseball into an Arthurian-style fable.
The middle-aged Roy returns to professional baseball after his earlier rise was interrupted by a shooting.
The cinematography repeatedly presents Robert Redford and Roy Hobbs in glowing, adoring images that reinforce the character's iconic status.
Roy's effort to lift a failing team is set against corrupt interests and the threat of compromising baseball's meaning.
Films like The Natural, and why
Hoosiers
mythic sports drama about perseverance, redemption, and an underdog team overcoming institutional corruption
Field of Dreams
idealized baseball drama blending Americana, nostalgia, and emotionally uplifting athletic triumph
A League of Their Own
period sports drama centered on talent, ambition, and an outsider challenging entrenched power
Chariots of Fire
romantic, inspirational drama that turns an ordinary contest into a heightened American fable
Movie Details
- Director
- Barry Levinson
- Release Date
- 1984-05-11
- Runtime
- 137 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (697)
Cast
- Robert Redford
- Robert Duvall
- Glenn Close
- Kim Basinger
- Wilford Brimley
- Barbara Hershey
- Robert Prosky
- Richard Farnsworth
- Joe Don Baker
- Michael Madsen
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Natural about?
- A wounded baseball prodigy returns as a middle-aged batter and transforms a struggling 1930s team through talent, myth, and hard-won redemption.
- What is The Natural like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Natural as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Natural violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Natural as mild.
- What did critics think of The Natural?
- Critics broadly admire the film's craftsmanship, baseball imagery, performances, and inspirational fable-like appeal, while some find its length, portentousness, and simplified ending excessive.
- Which films are like The Natural?
- Films with a similar feel include Hoosiers, Field of Dreams, A League of Their Own, and Chariots of Fire.
- How long is The Natural?
- The Natural runs 137 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Natural?
- In United States, The Natural is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand, Plex.
