Eephus (2024)★ 6.8/10

In Eephus (the name of a slow, arcing pitch meant to throw off batters), a sports dramedy about over-the-hill baseball players who get together to commemorate and in a way eulogize their community’s baseball diamond, Soldiers Field, after its decided it will be demolished. The space serves as a watering hole for all members of the community. Kids play. Old-timers sit and drink beer — or they, too, play. Anyone with energy squabbles about what was a ball, what was a strike, and whether or not the tie goes to the runner. Adler’s Paint is the favoured local team led by Ed Mortanian (Keith William Richards, Uncut Gems).

Director Carson Lund knows what to include and what to avoid in this now-stuffed sports subgenre. This is a movie that is easy to enjoy. Knock it out in an afternoon and be reminded sometimes quality comes in the form of a familiar package.

Eephus is gentle in its touch. Its approach is simple. A gang of loveable misfits get together to do their best to preserve — in any way they can — an identifying slice of their town; one that typically captures its heart, its spirit. In this case, that means one last baseball game between rivals.

Fans of The Bad News Bears, The Sandlot, and the like will find much to enjoy if they decide to flip this on.