Titreenp SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

ChicDragon It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

Philippa All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Phillipa Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

ichocolat This story is about a Dominican baseball player, Miguel 'Sugar' Santos. He was from a small city in the Dominican, and was lucky to be recruited to the U.S. Minor Leagues.Follow him as he experience many life-changing moments. Being a kid with small hope, he soon finds himself in a big city in a country so far from home, so far from his family, his safety net.Follow him as he make mistakes, and learn good lessons from it.Follow him as he begins to mature, to learn to take responsibilities, to bounce back from the downs, and to hold on the things dear to him.This film has six nominations, and considered one of the best sports film for 2008.The film is in English & Spanish. The DVD release of this film also includes subtitles for Spanish.I rate this film a ten for its ingenuity, and a different take from the usual sports film I've seen in 2008.

bandw 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.

thedrmat Don't get me wrong. I am a Dominican living in Canada, and I have had the opportunity to watch most of the films made and released in the Dominican Republic. Some of them satisfactorily good, some merely passable, some unwatchable. But the common factor here is that, for some reason, the filmmakers haven't been able so far to give the themes in this movie a transcending universal appeal.In come Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden (the only film I have seen from them is HALF NELSON, for which Ryan Gosling as nominated for a Best Actor Oscar), who, by means of some interviews and notes of experiences from Dominican immigrants, were able to concoct a bittersweet drama which is nothing short of a love letter to us Dominicans, and our reality as immigrants and our die-hard passion for baseball.Despite some occasional shortcomings (like, for example, the "perfect" way Sugar's Dominican girlfriend speaks Spanish; I personally had a strong objection to this detail, since Dominicans, specially low-class ones, don't usually talk like that), the film is in all, very well achieved. You can see the genuine Dominican elements within; yet, this time around, they are there for absolutely anyone to feel, understand and even enjoy them. Other good thing was the effective way in which the film goes from briefly telling about life in our little third-world (yet warm and fun-loving) country without patronization, to a somehow exciting Sports drama, and then to a testament about the harsh reality of being an immigrant in a strange land.All the technical elements are effective and used to good effect: the non-intrusive music, the photography, the well-paced editing. And the performances are nuanced and grounded in reality. None of the Dominican actors becomes a cliché, which has been usually a dangerous thing. Newcomer Algenis Perez Soto makes a solid debut here; we root for him all the way. We can see his love for the game, as well as his underlying sense of befuddlement, amazement, sadness and occasional desperation. Also, more than worthy of mention are, in the supporting roles, Rayniel Rufino as fellow player Jorge; Kelvin Garcia as Salvador, who gets to become a key player in the plot; and, towards the end, Dominican singer Alina Vargas, in a very brief role as a restaurant attendant.In all, it is a personal joy to see that somebody was finally able, not only to make a good Dominican-oriented movie, but to also show the many good things we may have as a culture. Bravo, Mr. Fleck and Mr. Boden for your courageous effort!! 8/10.

Michael O'Keefe This is one of those movies that seem to fall between the cracks. Little known, but one you'd hate to miss...especially if you like baseball. The best part of this film is the authenticity and the inspiration that comes from it. Miguel Santos(Algenis Perez Soto) is a 19-year old in the Dominican Republic, where baseball still reigns supreme. Miguel, nicknamed Sugar, is a gifted pitcher that throws a knuckle curve with power. Dreams of making it to America and the big leagues sometimes do come true for some. And when it happens it means a family actually has a chance of getting out of poverty.Sugar and many other hopefuls attend the Dominican's Kansas City Baseball Academy and with any luck can be called up to Minor League ball in the States. Sugar gets to make the trip to Kansas City's team in Burlington, Iowa. There he will struggle with the language, culture and pressure of having any degree of success to rescue his family.This poignant and very believable baseball movie also stars: Rayniel Rufino, Michael Gaston, Andre Holland, Ellary Porterfield and Ann Whitney.