Ballplayer: Pelotero
Strand Releasing | Release Date: July 13, 2012 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
75
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 12 Critic Reviews
Positive:
11
Mixed:
1
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
The New York TimesNeil GenzlingerJul 12, 2012
Commendably, the film, narrated by John Leguizamo, sugarcoats nothing, and the people involved - the players, their trainers, their parents, the scouts - are remarkably forthright. Read full review
88
Boston GlobeJanice PageJul 12, 2012
A well-crafted, bravely revealing little film that could be considered essential education for baseball fans. It's just a bonus that the documentary is so entertaining. Read full review
80
The Hollywood ReporterFrank ScheckJul 13, 2012
Although there are numerous interviews with various people both directly involved with or peripheral to the action, the most compelling figure on display is a particularly articulate coach who proves all too determined to have his protégé succeed. The fact that he works strictly on commission is certainly no small element of his zeal. Read full review
80
SalonAndrew O'HehirJul 11, 2012
While "Ballplayer" is certainly unsettling, must-see viewing for baseball fans - a nonfiction follow-up to Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck's outstanding 2009 feature "Sugar" - it's a vibrant tale, alive with color and texture, that's far more than a sports movie. Read full review
75
Washington PostDavid MalitzJul 19, 2012
It's a story with serious human drama that will make you think a little differently the next time you watch your favorite team take the field. Read full review
75
New York PostV.A. MusettoJul 13, 2012
As this eye-opening documentary shows, the suits who run MLB are the real bad guys here, treating the aspiring ballplayers as so much sausage. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChroniclePeter HartlaubJul 12, 2012
The filmmakers investigate, but can't answer every tough question. There are so many people who could be potentially taking advantage of these players, it's hard to sort out the wrongdoers. Read full review
75
Slant MagazineChuck BowenJul 11, 2012
The doc is a sly, interesting achievement: It opens as an entertaining sports story and closes as a metaphor for government corruption. Read full review
70
Wall Street JournalJoe MorgensternJul 12, 2012
Major League Baseball has passed new rules for the Dominican system, according to the film's closing credits, rules that will limit signing bonuses. Yet the harvest will continue, and it's not a pretty sight. Read full review
70
Village VoiceMichael LeavertonJul 11, 2012
An unexpectedly gripping portrait of how MLB's sausage gets made. Read full review
67
The A.V. ClubAlison WillmoreJul 11, 2012
With its slim runtime, the film feels like it should have gone broader or closed in and been just a portrait of the talented, goofy Sano. Read full review
60
Time OutEric HynesJul 11, 2012
Essential, if artless, baseball exposé. Read full review
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