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The Rookie

2002·Movie
2h 7min·G
IMDb6.9Metacritic727.2Rotten Tomatoes84%70%

Where to watch

Disney+Apple TVTubi TVWonder Project

Links go to licensed services. Data from JustWatch and TMDB.

What's your score?

Your score

The Rookie fingerprint

High energy, big heart, a touch of humor.

Energy

Thrilling and fast-paced

Fast from start to finish.

  • Adrenaline7
  • Fast Pace7
  • Spectacle6

Heart

Uplifting and wholesome

Much of it is about family and growing up.

  • Hopefulness9
  • Wholesome8
  • Catharsis8

Humor

A little humor

Not a comedy at heart.

  • Situational Comedy3
  • Wit & Wordplay3
  • Physical Comedy2

World

Sports, everyday modern life, and a real life story

  • World Immersion7
  • Rewatchability7
  • Dialogue Centrality6

Craft

Solid, not remarkable

  • Direction7
  • Acting7
  • Narrative Structure7

Style

Functional look and sound

  • Cinematography7
  • Editing7
  • Music Composition7

Who it's for

AdultsDate NightFamily Movie NightFriends NightParty VibeIntergenerationalKidsPartner WatchPublic Viewing SafeSolo WatchTeensBackground WatchComfort WatchDrop-in FriendlyPure Escapism

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You want dark or edgy material

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Feel Good moviesMotivational movies

Based on the GoodWatch fingerprint: our scores for 70+ attributes of every movie. Select a row to see all of them.

About

Sometimes dreams come back to life.

Jim Morris never made it out of the minor leagues before a shoulder injury ended his pitching career twelve years ago. Now a married-with-children high-school chemistry teacher and baseball coach in Texas, Jim's team makes a deal with him: if they win the district championship, Jim will try out with a major-league organization. The bet proves incentive enough for the team, and they go from worst to first, making it to state for the first time in the history of the school. Jim, forced to live up to his end of the deal, is nearly laughed off the try-out field--until he gets onto the mound, where he confounds the scouts (and himself) by clocking successive 98 mph fastballs, good enough for a minor-league contract with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Jim's still got a lot of pitches to throw before he makes it to The Show, but with his big-league dreams revived, there's no telling where he could go.
Inspirational Sports DramaFeel-GoodBased on True StoryOvercoming ObstaclesFamily-OrientedBaseballLate BloomerAmerican Dream

Crew

Directed by:
John Lee Hancock
Written by:
Mike Rich
Produced by:
Mark Johnson, Ronna Kress, Philip Steuer
Composed by:
Carter Burwell, John Bissell

Sequels and Prequels

No sequels or prequels available

Media

Questions about The Rookie

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Rookie legally?

Disney+Apple TVTubi TVWonder Project

The Rookie is included with a subscription to Apple TV and Disney+ in the United States. You can watch it free with ads on Tubi TV. You can also rent or buy it from Apple TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, and Google Play Movies. All links in Where to Watch go to these licensed services.

Is The Rookie worth watching?

73
GoodGoodWatch score

Mostly. It's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 74/100 (IMDb 6.9, Rotten Tomatoes 84%, and Metacritic 72). The GoodWatch score combines critic and audience ratings.

What is The Rookie rated?

G

It's rated G in the United States.

How long is The Rookie?

2 h 7 min

The Rookie runs 2 h 7 min.

Is The Rookie based on a true story?

Yes. It's based on real events or a real person's life.

Do critics and audiences agree on The Rookie?

Critics78
Audiences70

Not quite. Critics rate The Rookie higher (78) than audiences (70). It may be more rewarding than it is crowd-pleasing.

Was The Rookie a box office hit?

Budget$20 million
Box office$76 million

Yes. It cost about $20 million to make and earned $76 million worldwide, 3.8 times its budget.

What language is The Rookie in?

English

It was made in English. Produced in United States.

In how many countries can I watch The Rookie?

74ADALARATAUBABEBGBOBRBZCACHCL+60

GoodWatch finds legal streaming, rental, or purchase options for The Rookie in 74 countries. Pick any of them in Where to Watch to see the local services.

What tropes does The Rookie use?

Very Loosely Based on a True StoryOpposing Sports TeamFantasy-Forbidding FatherDown to the Last PlayGenre ShiftCrazy Enough to WorkRedemption QuestDare to Be BadassAdaptational AttractivenessReal-Person CameoAge CutMy Friends... and Zoidbergand 8 more

TV Tropes lists 20 storytelling tropes for The Rookie, including Very Loosely Based on a True Story, Opposing Sports Team, Fantasy-Forbidding Father.