Sugar (2008/I)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Directors:

Anna Boden
Ryan Fleck

Writers (WGA):

Anna Boden (written by) &
Ryan Fleck (written by)

Release Date:

5 June 2009 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | Sport

Plot:

Dominican baseball star Miguel "Sugar" Santos is recruited to play in the U.S. minor-leagues.

Plot Keywords:

Baseball | Minor League | Coming Of Age | American Dream | Rags To Riches

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Algenis Perez Soto	...	Miguel 'Sugar' Santos
Rayniel Rufino	...	Jorge Ramirez
Andre Holland	...	Johnson
Ann Whitney	...	Helen Higgins
Ellary Porterfield	...	Anne Higgins
Jaime Tirelli	...	Osvaldo
Jose Rijo	...	Alvarez
Michael Gaston	...	Stu Sutton
Alina Vargas	...	Reyna
Richard Bull	...	Earl Higgins
Kelvin Leonardo Garcia	...	Salvador
Joendy Pena Brown	...	Marcos
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Karl Bury	...	Rudy Hubbard
Greg D'Agostino	...	Gregory the Delivery Man
Larry E. Donaldson	...	Michael Higgins
Barbara P. Engstrom	...	Hilary Higgins
Brandon Gorrell	...	Randy
Chris Harkins	...	Batter - Fight Scene
Taylor Hogue	...	Baseball Fan
Rita Kurtz	...	Dominican Baseball Fan
Eddie Martinez	...	Rafael
Cesar Minaya	...	Pedro
Sabien Minteer	...	Hardy / Team Mascot
Alyssa Simmons	...	Baseball fan
Issac Thomas Richer Smith	...	Clubby
Tom Sponberg	...	Baseball Fan
Randolph Wehofer	...	Jack Jeffries
Michael Robert Yeager	...	Fan at spring training game
Chelsea Zeleny	...	Baseball Fan

Also Known As:

Untitled Dominican Project (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some sexuality and brief drug use.; Rated PG-13 for sexual content, language and brief drug use. (dvd edition)

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (British Columbia) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #45356) (dvd edition) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #45356) (DVD edition) | Ireland:12A

Filming Locations:

Burlington, Iowa, USA

Company:

Journeyman Pictures

Trivia:

After this film was shot, the name of the team in Iowa was changed from the Quad City Swing to its former team name of the Quad City River Bandits.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: While Sugar is riding the bus in Iowa for Spring training, the corn in the fields has tasseled at a time when the soil and weather would prevent it from being planted.

Movie Connections:

References "American Idol: The Search for a Superstar" (2002)

Field of Suenos

Greetings again from the darkness. Filmed in quasi-documentary style, the film appears on the surface to be about the Latino dream of making it to the major leagues. Upon closer review, the family and friends of Sugar only ask "Are you going to the states?". The crux of the film lies not so much in the long odds of making it to the show, but moreso, simply escaping the homeland ... it's just that baseball is viewed as the quickest ticket out.

The "Half Nelson" writer/director team of Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck score again with "Sugar". What really hit home with me was how many people miss out on their real chance because they just have a simple shortage of passion for their talent. When Sugar bashes the water cooler, it's not because he pitched poorly, but rather because he fears he will be shipped back home.

There are many fine moments in this and the final act twist is not just terrific story telling, but fitting as well. It does what a final act should do ... connect the dots. Think back to the domino scene when one guy spouts that he once hit 98 in spring training. The recognition that he is back home playing dominoes is the real story. Good stuff.

First time actor Algenis Perez Soto perfectly captures the charm and innocence of Sugar and finally the harsh reality of the situation. This is one to see.