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Sugar (I) (2008)

 -  Drama | Sport  -  5 June 2009 (UK)
7.1
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Ratings: 7.1/10 from 3,327 users   Metascore: 82/100
Reviews: 28 user | 95 critic | 26 from Metacritic.com

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

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Title: Sugar (2008)

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jose Rijo ...
Alvarez
Walki Cuevas ...
Alfonso
...
Miguel
Santo Silvestre ...
Umpire #1
Emmanuel Nanita Carvajal ...
Reyes
Cesar Emilio Minaya C. ...
Pedro
Joendy Pena Brown ...
Marcos
Kelvin Leonardo Garcia ...
Salvador
Marcos Rosa ...
Sanchez
...
Rudy
Zaida Alexandra Hernandez ...
Erica
Lilin Soto Gonzales ...
Abuela
Dioni Feliciano ...
Luis
Teodosia Sanchez Reyes ...
Carmen
Walky Alvarez ...
Sofia
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Storyline

By 2008, more than 25 percent of major league baseball players were born in Latin America. At 19, Miguel "Sugar" Santos, a serious kid from the Dominican Republic, signs with Kansas City. He flies to Phoenix for tryouts and is sent to the Class A team "The Swing" in the fictional town of Bridgetown, Iowa, where he lives with a farm family. Thus begins his odyssey: leaving his mom and girlfriend; living in an alien culture; learning English; overcoming jitters; working hard; achieving early success; navigating friendships, occasional racism, and a woman's mixed signals; dealing with an injury; trying performance-enhancing drugs; and, searching for his place in the world. Will he make it to the Majors; will he play in New York? Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Genres:

Drama | Sport

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, some sexuality and brief drug use | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Official Sites:

Country:

|

Language:

|

Release Date:

5 June 2009 (UK)  »

Also Known As:

Untitled Dominican Project  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$60,140 (USA) (3 April 2009)

Gross:

$1,081,922 (USA) (7 August 2009)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

|

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Some of the last names of the Quad City Swing players in the film were those of actual players on the team. However, they were not portrayed by the real Swing players. During filming, the real players were still in their regular season and then post-season. See more »

Goofs

In the "thank you" list during the end credits Iowa Governor Chet Culber is mentioned. The governor's name is Culver, not Culber. See more »

Quotes

Earl Higgins: No drinking. No cervezas in the casa. No chicas in the bedroom.
See more »

Connections

References American Idol (2002) See more »

Soundtracks

"Ciego De Amor"
Written by Anthony "Romeo" Santos
Performed by Aventura featuring Anthony Santos
Courtesy of Premium Latin Music, Inc.
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
This truly *is* a baseball movie
16 January 2010 | by (Boulder, CO) – See all my reviews

If you have no knowledge of, or appreciation for, the sport of baseball, then I think you will likely not enjoy this film as much as those who do. It is more of a baseball movie than many such movies, such as "The Natural," since it plays almost like a documentary rather than the usual script of "talent, obstacles, ultimate fantastic success." I can imagine that the box office receipts for this in the United Kingdom would be about what they would be in the U.S. for a movie about cricket. In "Sugar" we follow Miguel "Sugar" Santos from a U.S. major league baseball training academy in the Dominican Republic to his move to a small city in Iowa to play minor league ball. We get to know Miguel's family and humble living conditions in the Dominican Republic and then the formidable difficulties he faces in being inserted into a foreign culture where he does not speak the language.

I will never look at foreign-born baseball players the same way after having seen the discipline, arduous training, perseverance, and sacrifices they make to get where they are. And the pressure is ever-present--if you fail there are many others who can and will take your place.

Casting the native Dominican non-actor Algenis Perez Soto as Miguel is a small stroke of genius. He had played some ball (as shortstop) but had to be taught how to pitch for this movie. Perez is such a natural both on and off the field that it's impossible not to be taken by him. He has a great ability to capture emotion with facial expressions. A lot of effort must have gone into the casting, since every role rings true.

Sure, this film makes incisive comments about the immigrant experience in the United States, but, even if you are a baseball fan I think you will learn details you did not know about how the sport recruits many of its players and what they go through. Many are called, but few are chosen, and it's not necessarily clear sailing for the chosen.


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