Mr. 3000 (2004)

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

Better Late Then Never

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

I can't believe the rating people have given this movie. It's easily one of the best all around comedies I've ever seen. Bernie Mac is what I call a "real" actor. He engages you from his first appearance on the screen and doesn't let go until the end. You can't say that about many actors. In addition, he's FUNNY! Comedy is all about timing and the ability of the actor to let it all hang out. Bernie does and as a result makes the entire movie better! This movie is about second chances, life and growing old. It's about one of the best, if not "the best", sports in America: Baseball. It's about doing what's right at the end of the day. It's about learning that age old lesson that we're all in this together, so you either play nice and enjoy the ride or get off. The human element of this movie alone earns it a 10/10 - but on top of that is some top notch acting and comedy. Well worth a view. I've watched this movie at least 5 times and love it more every time.

There's not a lot if indeed anything new here, a sort of sub-Disney quasi-fantasy throwing a curve at Redemption with side trips into heart of darkness territory and all as subtle as a swastika on a neo-Nazi's shirt. In terms of storyline Bernie Mac plays a slugger with the Milwaukee Brewers who secures his 3000th hit towards the close of the season and promptly walks leaving his team and teammates in the lurch. In the following nine years he parlays his Mr 3000 sobriquet into a chain of cash-cow franchises but this is not enough for an arrogant son of a bitch who wants all the badges and specifically a nod by the Hall of Fame. It then transpires that due to a computer glitch he only actually hit 2997 so at age 47 he attempts a come-back to chase the three elusive extra hits and get back into old flame Angela Basset's pants. There's a twist in case any amoeba with special needs didn't see it coming and the whole thing has a certain faux feelgood quality but don't go out of your way.

Mr.3000 stars the lovable Bernie Mac who proves here that he could carry a film as the leading man. It is a real shame we wont get to see any more of him. The movie shows us the development of his character and, despite his often obnoxious behaviour, i really engaged with character. Angela Basset is a delight as always and the film doesn't just fall completely in line with sports movie clichés. That is confirmed with the ending, which i wont spoil, but was a real surprise.I don't think it will shock that the movie ends happily and him and Basset end up together, but that's what we want to happen.

This film is the result of a wandering, aimless plot accompanied by non-existent acting by the entire cast except Bernie Mac, who only barely manages to come out of this with his reputation intact. Mr 3000 is a "comedy" (yeah, right) about a retired baseball player who upon striking his 3000th run quits his team at their height of prominence which cripples the teams chances of winning the league. Decades later, the Hall of Fame committee take away three of those so Mac's Stan Ross returns, determined to reach his goal.The problems begin almost straight away, first there is a random ex-girlfriend who appears whenever the plot requires her to and literally from the very first scene between the two you will already know what will happen. Then there is the fact that the story doesn't go anywhere. Seriously you see Stan drinking in a bar, then talking to his old flame, then playing in a game, and then back to scene 1. There are plot twists to which there is no explanation, and characters attitudes will suddenly chance without reason.I'd say I saw around 85 minutes of this pointless film before finally giving up. There was no plot, no acting and very little comedy. Although I will admit I smiled once at a scene where Ross was put through training. Don't waste your time on this, if baseball is your thing then watch the incredible 61*.