Sandlot, The MPAA Rating: PG Entertainment: +2 1/2 Content: -1

Following the same format as STAND BY ME, THE SANDLOT is a movie about growing up in the late 50's as seen through the eyes of a now grown adult. It reveals how a new kid in town, Scotty Smalls (Tom Guiry), learns to play baseball and wins the respect of his 5th grade peers. Timid Scotty is afraid to make friends until he is befriended by the best baseball player in the sandlot, Benny Rodriguez (Mike Vitar). Benny shows him how to play baseball, and Scotty in turn fills out the nine-man roster by playing center field. All the kids come to accept Scotty, and they band together when trying to defeat cross-town rivals or when facing the dreaded beast. The beast is a gigantic junkyard dog that lives right behind the sandlot. Whenever someone hits a homerun, they cannot get the ball back from this ferocious dog. THE SANDLOT has too little nostalgia and too many cliches to be compared with STAND BY ME. However, fans of the TV series, THE WONDER YEARS, will probably appreciate this family movie.

Benny's friendly welcome to newcomer Scotty and the camaraderie of the team give THE SANDLOT a "feel good" theme. The boys imitate the pro's by taking their first "chaw" of tobacco at an amusement park. They immediately get on a ride together and throw up on the other riders and people standing next to it. Not a pretty sight, but an appropriate message about chewing tobacco. What coming of age movie would be complete without sexual references? This one contains them, and though there are no sexual situations, there is a lot of talk among the pre-teen boys. They also delight in watching a young lady apply lotion to her arms and legs. Especially disappointing are the ten obscenities, including 3 s-words and some other vulgarities. For these elements, THE SANDLOT hits a foul ball on what could have been a good nostalgic look at the 50's.

Preview Reviewer: Greg Wilson
Distributor: 20th Century Fox