A phenomenal rookie pitcher undergoes psychotherapy to overcome his bullying criminal father's crippling influence, and come to terms with past.
Director:
Noah BuschelWriter:
Noah Buschel
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Title: The Phenom (2016)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Johnny Simmons | ... | Hopper Gibson | |
| Ethan Hawke | ... | Hopper Senior | |
| Paul Giamatti | ... | Dr. Mobley | |
| Sophie Kennedy Clark | ... | Dorothy Boyer | |
| Alison Elliott | ... | Susan Gibson | |
| Yul Vazquez | ... | Coach Eddie Soler | |
| Paul Adelstein | ... | Scott Borwitz | |
| Marin Ireland | ... | Rachel Cullum | |
| Louisa Krause | ... | Candace Cassidy | |
| Frank Wood | ... | Richard Boyer | |
| Meg Gibson | ... | Jill Boyer | |
| Elizabeth Marvel | ... | Teresa Epland | |
| Emily Fleischer | ... | Betsy Schmidt | |
 |
Journey Smith | ... | Lloyd Moseby |
| Niesha Butler | ... | Tuesday Davis | |
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
A Major League rookie pitcher loses control over his pitching and is sent down to the minor leagues, where he begins sessions with an unorthodox sports psychologist. In the process, hidden conflicts with his overbearing father are brought to light.
Plot Keywords:
baseball pitcher | therapy | psychologist | therapy session | psychotherapy |Taglines:
Hopper Gibson throws one hundred miles per hour. Now he needs to stop thinking.Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
24 June 2016 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Rage See more »Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Color:
ColorAspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
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Written by Tom Paxton
Performed by Dion
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Even though they play father and son, Ethan Hawke is just sixteen years older than Johnny Simmons in real life. See more »Goofs
The band aid on Hop's face, by an inch or two, does not match the point where his father cut and bled him with a beer can. See more »Quotes
Dorothy Boyer: Worshiping these false American Idols, and people just buying into this Harry Potter syndrome, like, wanting to have a fucking lightning bolt on their forehead - do you really believe in any of that? - because nobody is more special than anybody else.See more »
Soundtracks
I Can't Help But Wonder Where I'm BoundWritten by Tom Paxton
Performed by Dion
See more »
Frequently Asked Questions
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I probably wouldn't have lasted through this - had one of my favourite AFL players not recently retired at just age 23, citing mental health issues. There are definitely some parallels here.
Beyond that, "The Phenom" is a frustrating film to watch.
Ethan Hawke successfully portrays one of the most unlikeable guys I've seen on film in ages.
Paul Giamatti also puts in a great performance as a sports psychologist. The back and forward emotional banter between Giamatti and Simmons is in a very similar vein to that of Damon and Williams in "Good Will Hunting" - just without the Oscar-worthiness.
Johnny Simmons is convincing as the somewhat of an asshole but emotionally vulnerable sports star.
None of it seemed to tie together though and the film just went nowhere. It never succeeded as anything more than being a fly-on-the-wall look at a young talented sportsman with emotional difficulties. I also agree with many other viewers, that found the ending abrupt and poorly written.