‘Summer Catch’: First Love in the Summertime

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No matter how good some of the serious Oscar contenders may be (though more often than not I don’t find them that good), sometimes we all need a Summer Catch in our life.

Summer Catch (2001) Film Review

Raw talent is what Ryan Dunne (Freddie Prinze Jr.) boasts. He’s a club baseball star staring at his last chance to attract the right kind of attention, that of a scout. He’s determined, unlike prior years, not to let anything or anyone distract him. He then meets Tinley (Jessica Biel), the daughter of his father’s wealthy landscaping client. Bright and beautiful, for different reasons than, Tinley struggles to answer “what’s next.”

As their lives intersect during the summer, both must decide how to find the answers they need.

There’s no doubting the imperfection of this title. The introduction of characters is either non-existent or harried, and yet, we root for them all to succeed. We like most of the players and despite his mistakes and defeatist attitude, Ryan is a likable character as well. Perhaps helped by its stars, Freddie Prinze Jr. Known for his many comedies in the 90s, the actor always plays a good rom-com hero. At least he does in this I’ve seen, and this film makes another.

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There’s lots of cute camaraderie scenes with Ryan and his teammates, and surprisingly, there’s a thread of friendship that’s fun too. On this same note, it’s fun to see actors like Marc Blucas, Christian Kane (Leverage), Gabriel Mann (Revenge) and Wilmer Valderrama (NCIS); and then, also, Brittany Murphy. In short, there are lots of familiar names and faces to see here, faces that are younger than we’re used to seeing them on their week-to-week TV shows. It’s nice to see Jessica Biel in this as well, and she does the role justice.

If you enjoy light-hearted romantic-comedies, you’re likely to enjoy Summer Catch. It’s imperfect with its Romeo and Juliet trope-y moments, but it’s also an endearing little movie that’s hard not to like. Sappy ending and all.

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‘Summer Catch’: First Love in the Summertime. A review of the 2001 dramedy with Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jessica Biel. Text © Rissi JC

Content: there’s some suggestive/sexual content (lots of jokes play out about a man who prefers bigger women), and profanity as well. The film rates PG-13.

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About Rissi JC

amateur graphic designer. confirmed bookaholic. bubbl’r enthusiast. critical thinker. miswesterner. social media coordinator. writer.

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