Hard Ball (2001)

Director:

Brian Robbins

Writers (WGA):

Daniel Coyle (book)
John Gatins (screenplay)

Release Date:

14 September 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sport

Tagline:

In a place where all bets are off, he's got nothing to lose.

Plot:

An aimless young man who is scalping tickets, gambling and drinking, agrees to coach a Little League team from the Cabrini Green housing project in Chicago as a condition of getting a loan from a friend. |

Plot Keywords:

Gambling | Little League | Coach | Teacher | Baseball Movie

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Keanu Reeves	...	Conor O'Neill
Diane Lane	...	Elizabeth Wilkes
John Hawkes	...	Ticky Tobin
Bryan Hearne	...	Andre Ray Peetes (as Bryan C. Hearne)
Julian Griffith	...	Jefferson Albert Tibbs
Michael B. Jordan	...	Jamal (as Michael Jordan)
A. Delon Ellis Jr.	...	Miles Pennfield II
Kristopher Lofton	...	Clarence
Michael Perkins	...	Kofi Evans
Brian M. Reed	...	Raymond 'Ray Ray' Bennet
DeWayne Warren	...	Jarius 'G-Baby' Evans
Carol Hall	...	Pearla Evans (as Carol E. Hall)
Jacqueline Williams	...	Lenora Tibbs
Freeman Coffey	...	Darryl Mackey
D.B. Sweeney	...	Matt Hyland
Andre Morgan	...	Umpire
Reginald McKinley	...	Umpire
Mark Robert Ellis	...	Baseball Coach (as Mark Ellis)
Graham Beckel	...	Duffy
Paul Turner	...	Bartender
Michael McGlone	...	Jimmy Fleming (as Mike McGlone)
Dawn Lewis	...	Ellen
Kwame Amoaku	...	Pizza Guy
Vince Green	...	Other Pizza Guy
Mark Margolis	...	Fink
Tom Milanovich	...	Ed
Greg Sandquist	...	Barber's Son
Stephen Cinabro	...	Gino
Michael B. Chait	...	Straight-Laced Kid
Donald M. Siple	...	Priest (as Father Donald M. Siple)
Adam Tomei	...	Barfly
Sammy Sosa	...	Himself
Ronnel Taylor	...	Gang Member
Sterling Brim	...	Sterling
Aaron Evans	...	Aaron
Alexander Telles	...	Alex
Josefus Duanah	...	Tough Kid
Jeffery Gatlin	...	Tough Kid
Steve Abbott	...	Waatas Coach
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Anton	...	Baseball Fan (uncredited)
James Currie	...	Check Cashing Station Cashier / Pedestrian (uncredited)
Dave Daniels	...	Baseball Fan (uncredited)
Richard Ferrando	...	Spectator (uncredited)
Joe Johnson	...	Spectator (uncredited)
Christopher Kurzer	...	(uncredited)
Michael Mili	...	Ticket Taker (uncredited)
Aaron Miller	...	Spectator (uncredited)
Jerry Stanecki	...	Pitching Coach (uncredited)
Thomas Michael Ventimiglio	...	Ticket Taker (uncredited)
Joe Wachowski	...	Spectator (uncredited)
Toussaint Waterman	...	Pallbearer (uncredited)
Johnny Yono	...	Spectator (uncredited)

Directed by
Brian Robbins

Writing credits (WGA)
Daniel Coyle		(book "Hardball: A Season in the Projects")
John Gatins		(screenplay)

Produced by
Herb Gains	....	executive producer
Kevin McCormick	....	executive producer
Tina Nides	....	producer
Brian Robbins	....	producer
Erwin Stoff	....	executive producer
Michael Tollin	....	producer

Original Music by
Mark Isham

Cinematography by
Tom Richmond

Film Editing by
Ned Bastille

Casting by
Marci Liroff

Production Design by
Jaymes Hinkle

Set Decoration by
Tricia Schneider

Costume Design by
Francine Jamison-Tanchuck

Makeup Department
Deborah K. Dee	....	hair stylist
Aimee Lippert-Bastian	....	key makeup artist
Tony Mirante	....	assistant hair stylist
Nina Paskowitz	....	hair stylist: Mr. Reeves
Peter Robb-King	....	personal makeup artist: Mr.Reeves
Jamie Sue Weiss	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Allegra Clegg	....	unit production manager
Herb Gains	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael J. Moore	....	second assistant director
Melody L. Moses	....	additional second assistant director
Eric A. Pot	....	second second assistant director
Benjamin Rosenberg	....	first assistant director

Art Department
David J. Chamerski	....	assistant property master
Frank Coronado	....	storyboard artist
William Dambra	....	property master
Veloz Gomez	....	set dresser
Brad Good	....	props
Michael Grady	....	props
Blake E. Matthys	....	set dresser
Jon Nicholson	....	on-set dresser
Tom Osman	....	labor foreman
Troy Osman	....	construction foreman
Tyler Osman	....	construction coordinator
Joel Prihoda	....	lead man
Paul E. Schulz	....	props
David Tennenbaum	....	set designer
Gary Warshaw	....	art production assistant

Sound Department
Zack Davis	....	adr supervisor
Christopher Flick	....	foley supervisor
Galen Goodpaster	....	assistant sound editor
Michael Jonascu	....	sound editor
Daniel J. Leahy	....	sound re-recording mixer
Piero Mura	....	sound effects editor
Josephine Nericcio	....	assistant sound effects editor
Vince Nicastro	....	foley artist
David Obermeyer	....	production sound mixer
Steve Pederson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jamie Scarpuzza	....	sound utility
Blair Scheller	....	boom operator
George Simpson	....	supervising sound editor
Randy Singer	....	foley mixer
Mike Szakmeister	....	supervising dialogue editor
Lil' Wayne	....	soundtrack
Lil' Zane	....	soundtrack

Special Effects by
Ryan Evans	....	special effects foreman
John D. Milinac	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Lloyd Lee Barnett	....	digital compositor
Kelly Bumbarger	....	digital compositor
Tim Gibbons	....	digital compositor
Vincent Lavares	....	digital asset manager: Cinesite Hollywood
Derek Ledbetter	....	visual effects
Matt McFarland	....	visual effects color timer
Jason Piccioni	....	visual effects supervisor
Mike Sullo	....	visual effects producer
Christopher Dusendschon	....	digital imaging: THDX (uncredited)
Ken Lam	....	digital artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Sam Conners	....	stunts
Tobiasz Daszkiewicz	....	stunts
Kofi Elam	....	stunts
James Fierro	....	stunts (as Jim Fierro)
Sean Grosvenor	....	stunts
Rick Le Fevour	....	stunt coordinator
John 'Punch' Lewis	....	stunts (as John Lewis)
Tom Lowell	....	stunts
Daniel Maldonado	....	stunts (as Dan Maldonado)
Kevin Morrow	....	stunts
Carl Paoli	....	stunts
Linda Perlin	....	stunts
Larry C. Tankson	....	stunts (as Larry Tankson)
Rich Wilkie	....	stunts
Gene Williams	....	stunts
Carl Paoli	....	stunt double: Keanu Reeves (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Mark David Adler	....	digital video assist operator
Micael Albrecht	....	balloon technician
Art Bartels	....	key grip
Kevin Boyd	....	24 frame video operator
Travis Busenbark	....	rigging electrician
Michael Dzialowski	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Adam C. Eichhorst	....	dolly grip
Kirk R. Gardner	....	Steadicam operator
Kirk R. Gardner	....	camera operator
Bob Gomez	....	rigging electrician
Rory Herbster	....	gaffer
Charles S. Hodes	....	still photographer
Timothy Jipping	....	grip
Darryl Miller	....	grip
David Morenz	....	first assistant camera
Chris Mulsoff	....	electrian
William R. Nielsen Jr.	....	camera operator
Phil Pastuhov	....	aerial camera operator
Phil Pastuhov	....	aerial director of photography
Keith Pokorski	....	assistant camera
James F. Roorda	....	dolly grip
Richard Sobin	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Bart Tau	....	director of photography: second unit
John Wendling	....	grip
Kevin Wisor	....	electrician
Frank Yario Jr.	....	video playback operator
Michelle Mann	....	additional assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Shirley Abrams	....	additional casting
Marti Bowling	....	extras casting associate: Detroit
Marti Bowling	....	extras casting
Eric Edward Davis	....	extras casting assistant
Michelle Fitzgerald	....	casting associate
Kathy McKee	....	casting assistant
Deedra Ricketts	....	additional casting
Jamie Sparer Roberts	....	casting associate (as Jamie Sparer)
Claire Simon	....	location casting
Teresa Thoma	....	casting assistant
Marta Tomkiw	....	assistant extras casting
Tina Trevarrow	....	extras casting assistant
Davina Turnbull	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Patrick Caulfield	....	set costumer
Bernadine Vida	....	set wardrobe
Katherine Wright	....	costume shopper

Editorial Department
Richard Alderete	....	assistant editor
Donald Freeman	....	final colorist
Michael Hatzer	....	color timer
Margaret Liu	....	first assistant editor: avid
Aram Nigoghossian	....	apprentice editor
David Young	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Tom Boyd	....	musician: oboe soloist
Thomas A. Carlson	....	music editor
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
Janice Hayen	....	music preparation
Stephen Krause	....	scoring mixer
Helena Lea	....	music editor
Michael McQuarn	....	music supervisor
Jennifer T. Scott	....	music coordinator
James Thatcher	....	musician: french horn

Transportation Department
Michael R. Cairo	....	driver
George DiLeonardi	....	transportation coordinator
Robert Wallace	....	driver
Kurt Knudsen	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Sonya A. Avakian	....	extras wrangler: Detroit
Bruce Benson	....	ground coordinator
Betsy Bottando	....	location manager
Josef Brandmaier	....	sale and leaseback finance
Cassandra Butcher	....	unit publicist
Jennifer Corey	....	production coordinator
Larry Donahue	....	caterer
Marie Elder	....	production accountant
Mark Robert Ellis	....	baseball coordinator
Leslie Anne Engel	....	baseball coordinator
Sara Flamm	....	assistant to executive producer
Nate Flansburgh	....	stand-in: Mr. Reeves
Cliff Fleming	....	aerial coordinator
Sherry Gallarneau	....	script supervisor
Karen Garlich	....	accounting assistant
Miguel Govea	....	publicity consultant
Tom Jacob	....	location assistant (as Thomas M. Jacob)
Steve Kraus	....	dailies projectionist
Ross L. Kulma	....	set medic
Eric Mahle	....	assistant baseball coordinator
David Malley	....	production secretary
Stefan Nikolov	....	assistant location manager
Carrie Oviatt	....	assistant production coordinator
Alicia C. Pritchett	....	location manager
Deborah Ross	....	title designer
Heather Sharpe	....	production assistant
Jeff Solano	....	production assistant: Detroit
Nicole Sylvester	....	assistant production coordinator
Larry Szymanowski	....	sign maker
Lora Umphress	....	payroll accountant
Janette Vecchiarelli	....	assistant: Mr. Reeves
Sandra J. White	....	assistant accountant
Jeanine Wilson	....	first assistant accountant
Arif S. Kinchen	....	additional voices (uncredited)
Catherine Middleton	....	accounting assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Fireworks Pictures (presents)
• Paramount Pictures (in association with)
• Nides/McCormick Productions (as Nides/McCormick)
• Tollin/Robbins Productions (as Tollin/Robbins)
• GHS Productions KG
• Munich Film Partners & Company (MFP) GHS Productions

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (2001) (USA) (theatrical)
• Golden Village Pictures (2001) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2001-2002) (Non-USA) (theatrical)
• Eagle Pictures (2002) (Italy) (theatrical)
• GAGA (2002) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Manga Films (2002) (Spain) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2002) (Austria) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2002) (Australia) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2002) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2002) (France) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2002) (UK) (theatrical)
• Europa Filmes (Brazil) (DVD)
• Europa Filmes (Brazil) (VHS)
• Film1 (2013) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD) (VHS)
• SBS6 (2005) (Netherlands) (TV)
• Teleview International (2001) (Lebanon) (TV) (Middle East)

Special Effects

• Cinesite (Hollywood)
• Hornet Animation (title animation)

Other Companies

• Bayerische HypoVereinsbank AG München  sale and leaseback finance by
• Columbia Records  soundtrack
• Deborah Ross Film Design  title design
• Howard Anderson Company, The  opticals
• Mary Nelson-Duerrstein & Associates  negative cutting
• Paramount Pictures  digital sound editing
• So So Def Records  soundtrack published by
• Sony Music Soundtrax  soundtrack

Also Known As:

"Hardball" - Germany, USA (alternative spelling)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, language and some violence (edited for re-rating)

Runtime:

106 min | Spain:109 min

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M | Canada:PG | France:U | Germany:12 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Peru:PT | Philippines:G | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 (edited for re-rating) (certificate #38188) | Finland:K-11 | Iceland:12 | Malaysia:U | South Korea:12 | USA:R (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Fireworks Pictures

Trivia:

Before the film was released in 2001, posters and ads reflected the rating as R before it was re-edited to dub over the kids using the "f" word. Despite quite a bit of profanity remaining, the film was then released with a PG-13 rating.

Goofs:

Continuity: Right before Jefferson Tibbs is beat up, he is seen without a hat. However, while he is being beat up by the two guys, he is seen with a hat on.

Quotes:

Raymond 'Ray Ray' Bennet:Coach Conor? You're not really trying to get Ms. Wilkes, are you?
Conor O'Neill:No.
Raymond 'Ray Ray' Bennet:Good. 'Cause I already tried and she ain't havin' it.
G-Baby:Yeah, me too.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "HBO First Look: Constantine: Heaven, Hell and Beyond (#12.3)" (2005)

Wow.

It never ceases to amaze me how people can have such widely differing *strong* reactions to a film. A number of negative reviews here, but let me add one more positive.

I loved this film, from beginning to end. I loved every aspect of it: the story, the acting, the plot. I expected just another "Coach takes over losing team and makes them winners" story. Those are fine stories now and then, and I was not expecting anything more than mild entertainment. But this film moved me. Now, I'm a middle-aged white boy, and while I've never been rich I've never gone hungry either, and I've never had to worry about getting shot on the way home, so maybe I don't really know what that "sh*t" is all about and maybe this film wasn't "realistic" in portraying all that; but it communicated to me, and that's what any film is all about. And sometimes in order to communicate, you have to go half way between where you are and where the other person is, and maybe that's what this film did. But whatever, I got it.