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A Major League rookie pitcher (Johnny Simmons) loses control over his pitching and is sent down to the minor leagues, where he begins sessions with an unorthodox psychologist (Paul Giamatti) who uncovers conflict from his past.
As sports-centric films go, those folks looking for cheering crowds on a mild summer's night won't find much joy in The Phenom's mudville. It's a slow walk around the bases.
Buschel is clearly on the right track to fully embracing the limitations of conventional structures in storytelling. When he does, it could lead to a minor masterpiece, which at times The Phenom flirts with.
This "love me daddy" baseball pic that earns points for spending less than 5 percent of its time on the diamond and refusing to end in open competition...so far as the playing field is concerned.
A welcome surprise for sports cinema, "The Phenom" handles itself like Robert Redford's "Ordinary People" when exploring the psychology of a Lebron James or Johnny Manziel-like sports sensation.