My husband and I sat down together this weekend to watch YOU GOTTA BELIEVE. This film is based on a true story of a Fort Worth youth baseball team. It came out earlier this month on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K from Well Go USA and was playing in theatres this past August.
YOU GOTTA BELIEVE is an inspirational story of the underdogs becoming part of the Little League record books. One member of the team, Robert Ratcliff, finds out his father is battling melanoma. Bobby Ratcliff, the father, has been a coach for the baseball team. To make Bobby proud, the team takes on going to the 2002 Little League World Series and dedicates their season to Bobby. This film also features Greg Kinnear (The Present), along with Sarah Gadon (Ferrari), Lew Temple (The Walking Dead), Etienne Kellici (Horizon: An American Saga), Molly Parker (Deadwood), Patrick Renna (The Sandlot) and Michael Cash (The Music Man on Broadway).
This film showcases the importance of teamwork and shows what having self-discipline can allow you to accomplish. YOU GOTTA BELIEVE also shows the importance of family and the bond of a team. It also gives you a view of baseball from a child’s perspective, which is somewhat different. There is growing their love of sports and friendships built along the way.
With this story, there are some serious notes to it as well. With Bobby Ratcliff’s terminal illness, YOU GOTTA BELIEVE has two young sons face the real fear of losing a parent – from dealing with the unexpected news for the entire family to the possibility of losing a parent. With having children of my own, this really hit home for me.
When making this film, the director kept coming back to these questions: if we knew our days were numbered, 1.) how might we live our lives differently, and 2.) how would we try to fit a whole lifetime of love and teachings into such a short period of time? There was raw uncertainty and it showed how baseball helped Bobby’s sons confront loss. Robert Ratcliff worked to improve his hitting of the ball and it became a metaphor for facing his other challenges in life – how he needed to develop trust in himself and his abilities with practice, believing, and focus. He had to do all this while processing the uncertain fate of his father. It reminds us of how so much can happen when you believe in yourself, using positive thoughts, and never giving up when things seem so unknown.
This is a great family friendly film that I hope you will explore more. With the seriousness of losing a parent, I would recommend viewing for teens and above.
Actors in YOU GOTTA BELIEVE:
LUKE WILSON—Luke Wilson’s career started in 1994 with James L. Brooks
production of Columbia Pictures’ Bottle Rocket that was also the debut of Wes
Anderson and Owen Wilson. A collaboration that continued with Rushmore and
The Royal Tenenbaums.
Wilson’s work has ranged from dramas to the iconic comedies Idiocracy, The
Family Stone, Legally Blonde, and Old School. And in the world of comedy he
collaborated with Adam Sandler, Kristen Wiig, Tracy Morgen, Ben Stiller, Martin Lawrence, and 5 films with Will Ferrell.
Wilson considers himself lucky to have worked alongside such Hollywood legends as Gene Hackman, Ben Kingsley, Angelica Huston, Nick Nolte, Diane Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson, and Jeff Bridges. His forays into television have included work with Mike White, Vince Gilligan, and D.C. Comics’ Geoff Johns. His admiration of musicians has found him on projects such as the film Masked and Anonymous with Bob Dylan, and projects with Cameron Crowe, Jimmy Buffett, Tom Petty, and Kris Kristofferson. Wilson’s work as a writer has produced the film The Wendell Baker Story which he also co-directed with his brother Andrew starring Eva Mendes and Harry Dean Stanton as well as the award-winning short film Satellite Beach as well as the upcoming Mexican Baseball movie Juarez 9 and Pecos River Bridge both of which Wilson wrote.
Wilson’s most recent films are Sony Pictures Classic Depression era football film 12 Mighty Orphans in which Wilson starred as legendary Texas football coach Rusty Russell and the courtroom drama Miranda’s Victim in which he stars alongside Donald Sutherland and Abigail Breslin. Wilson portrays the lawyer, Lawrence Turoff. As well as the Apple film drama Fingernails alongside Jesse Buckley, Jeremy Allen White and Riz Ahmed. Wilson also voices Bruce Wayne/Batman in Merry Little Batman for Amazon. Upcoming, Luke can be seen in Kevin Costner’s 4 film western epic Horizon from Warner Bros and New Line Cinema. Kevin Costner wrote and is directing. The film is Costner’s long dreamed of story of westward expansion in the American West in the 1860s. Wilson stars alongside Sienna Miller and Sam Worthington. Wilson’s recently wrapped No Good Deeds with Ray Romano and Lisa Kudrow.
GREG KINNEAR—Academy Award-nominated actor Greg Kinnear was most recently seen in feature film, SIGHT, based on the true story of acclaimed Chinese surgeon, Ming Wang, and recently released, THE PRESENT alongside Isla Fisher. He can also be seen in the Starz show SHINING VALE, with Courtney Cox as well as in Apple’s limited series BLACKBIRD, starring alongside Taron Edgerton and Ray Liotta, executive produced by Dennis Lehane.
Greg can be seen in MISBEHAVIOUR playing ‘Bob Hope’ opposite Keira Knightley and alongside Robin Wright in the final season of Netflix’s HOUSE OF CARDS. Greg starred in Amazon’s Philip K. Dick anthology episode ELECTRIC DREAMS: THE FATHER THING. He also starred in the buzzworthy film BRIGSBY BEAR, which sold to Sony Pictures Classics at the 2017 Sundance, as well as SAME KIND OF DIFFERENT AS ME, alongside Renée Zellweger. He made his directorial debut with PHIL, in which he stars in the lead role opposite Emily Mortimer, Luke Wilson, and Jay Duplass. He also starred in Rick Famuyiwa’s CONFIRMATION opposite Kerry Washington and in Ira Sach’s LITTLE MEN, which premiered at Sundance and Berlin to rave reviews, alongside Alfred Molina. Greg also starred in Tom Shadyac’s BRIAN BANKS as the founder of the California Innocence Project, opposite Aldis Hodge; Gideon Raff’s RED SEA DIVING RESORT with Chris Evans, Haley Bennett and Ben Kingsley; and Rowan Athale’s STRANGE BUT TRUE, based on the book by John Searles.
Greg played ‘JFK’ in the critically acclaimed mini-series THE KENNEDYS, which won 4 Primetime Emmy Awards. He won an Emmy for his work on TALK SOUP and a SAG Award for LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE. He has been nominated for numerous other awards including an Academy Award, a SAG Award and a Golden Globe for his performance in AS GOOD AS IT GETS.
His other credits include Adam McKay’s ANCHORMAN 2 with Will Ferrell, Steve Carell and Paul Rudd; Craig Zisk’s THE ENGLISH TEACHER with Julianne Moore and Lily Collins; Josh Boone’s STUCK IN LOVE with Jennifer Connelly and Lily Collins; Paul Greengrass’ GREEN ZONE with Matt Damon; Michael McCullers’ BABY MAMA with Amy Poehler and Tina Fey; and Ericson Core’s INVINCIBLE with Mark Wahlberg and Elizabeth Banks.
SARAH GADON––Award-winning actress/writer/director. Her passion and
dedication to cinema began as a Film Theory student at The University of Toronto.
Her work is distinguished by her commitment to working with auteur filmmakers.
Gadon is known for her work in Mary Harron’s award-winning Netflix limited series
Alias Grace. She has received critical recognition for her starring roles in films
such as David Cronenberg’s Maps To The Stars, Cosmopolis and A Dangerous
Method, Denis Villeneuve’s Enemy, Amma Asante’s Belle, Xavier Dolan’s The
Death And Life Of John F. Donovan, and Lawrence Levine’s Black Bear. In 2021,
Gadon served on the Competition Jury at the 78th Venice Film Festival. Her recent films include Michael Mann’s Ferrari, Meredith Hama-Brown’s Seagrass and Carly Stone’s North of Normal. Gadon is currently participating in the Tiff Industry’s talent development program as the recipient of the Micki Moore Residency. Gadon just wrapped shooting on A Big Bold Beautiful Journey alongside Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell from Director Kogonada.
PATRICK RENNA––Most widely known for his role as “Ham” in the sports cult classic, The Sandlot, Patrick Renna is back in the spotlight, hitting dingers across social media. Renna, immediately recognizable to Gen X and Millennials for being
“The Hambino” regularly showcases his comedic genius on his social channels, which feature a constant influx of sports content, family content and a fresh twist on today’s trends. Renna has become a multi generational hit by adding Gen Z to his existing fan base – garnering hundreds of thousands of new fans and millions of views in the meantime. A father of two, Renna resides in Los Angeles, where he can often be found at his local course shooting a very average round of bogey golf, playing pick-up basketball at the YMCA, producing in the commercial and content space for his production company Brookline or being the founder of his apparel line Hambino Athletics.
MICHAEL CASH––Athlete, actor, singer, and award-winning dancer, 13-year-old
Michael Cash was born with a can-do-anything spirit. A Broadway “veteran,”
Michael landed on Broadway opposite Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster in the
smash hit THE MUCIC MAN. Next up was the limited run of Lionel Bart’s
OLIVER, starring Raul Esparza, at the iconic NY City Center. Hollywood called,
and Michael found himself on location opposite Luke Wilson and Greg Kinnear in
YOU GOTTA BELIEVE, a feel-good Little League Baseball film. Michael is
currently shooting the Netflix series BLACK RABBIT as Jude Law’s son and
Jason Bateman’s nephew. Michael lives in New York City with his Mother, brother,
and sister.
LEW TEMPLE––American film actor, perhaps best known for his roles as Axel on
“The Walking Dead,” the character of Ned Oldham in the action-adventure thriller,
“Unstoppable” which also starred Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, and Rosario
Dawson; directed by Tony Scott, and Cal the diner manager in the comedy-drama
“Waitress.” Temple is an extraordinarily diverse actor who is often compared to a
chameleon: he can take any character and make it his own.
ETIENNE KELLICI––Etienne started acting at the young age of 6. A rising star,
he has already had the opportunity to work with some incredible talent. His most
recent feature film work includes Horizon: An American Saga, which was directed
by Kevin Costner and will be released this summer by Warner Bros and New
Line; You Gotta Believe, alongside Greg Kinnear and Luke Wilson for director Ty
Roberts; and the lead role in Boundary Waters, opposite Carol Kane and Allison
Miller.
Before those, Etienne worked on Ready or Not, opposite Adam Brody;
Viggo Mortenson’s directorial debut Falling, which premiered at Sundance 2020;
and Books of Blood for Hulu. In television, Etienne recently played a memorable
guest star opposite Matt Bomer, Allison Williams, and Jonathan Bailey in the
critically acclaimed Showtimes series Fellow Travelers. He recurred on Canada’s
longest-running show, Murdoch Mysteries (CBC), and the second season of Departure (Global), and appeared on October Faction (Netflix) and The Republic of Sarah (The CW). He also voices Charlie Brown in The Snoopy Show, and two Snoopy Presents television specials for Apple TV+.
MOLLY PARKER––Molly is currently shooting Fox’s newest show, DOC, as their
all-out lead. She received an Emmy nomination for her role as House Whip
“Jackie Sharp” in HOUSE OF CARDS. She is most recently seen in David
Lowery’s film PETER PAN & WENDY for Disney+. She can next be seen as Halle
Berry’s nemesis in THE MOTHERSHIP for Netflix Films and in the five-part
limited series ESSEX COUNTY. She recently starred as “Maureen Robinson” in
all three seasons of the hit Netflix series LOST IN SPACE and opposite Billy Bob Thornton in season one of GOLIATH.
Recent film credits include her role as the accused midwife in PIECES OF A WOMAN opposite Vanessa Kirby, JOCKEY opposite Clifton Collins Jr., WORDS ON BATHROOM WALLS opposite Charlie Plummer and Taylor Russell, DEADWOOD: THE MOVIE in which she reprised her role as “Alma Garret” from the iconic HBO series, Josephine Decker’s MADELINE’S MADELINE, Erroll Morris’ acclaimed genre-bending series WORMWOOD opposite Peter Sarsgaard for Netflix, Stephen King’s 1922, and Ewan McGregor’s directorial debut AMERICAN PASTORAL. She also wrote and directed the short film BIRD, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival.
Molly made her feature film debut in Lynne Stopkewich’s KISSED, for which she received a Canadian Screen Award (FKA Genie Award) for Best Actress. She won additional Canadian Screen Awards for Bruce Macdonald’s WEIRDOS and Bruce Sweeney’s LAST WEDDING. Molly was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award as Best Female Lead for Wayne Wang’s CENTER OF THE WORLD opposite Peter Sarsgaard.
