Full Review

As much an examination of contemporary challenges to small-town American life as a celebration of baseball, "The Final Season" (Yari), based on true events, works competently in both capacities.

As Kent Stock (Sean Astin) prepares to take over as coach of the Tigers, a Norway, Iowa, high school baseball team, he faces a daunting task. The team has the best record in the history of the state, and his formidable predecessor, Jim Van Scoyoc (Powers Boothe), is a local legend.

In fact, much of Norway's life revolves around the team, which makes it all the more upsetting to many of the town's citizens that the leader of the local education board, Harvey Makepeace (Marshall Bell), is hoping to merge the school with a much larger one nearby.

Assisting him in this effort is an attractive young official from the Iowa Department of Education, Polly Hudson (Rachael Leigh Cook). Despite their conflicting views, she soon catches Coach Stock's eye. Facing what may indeed be their final season, Stock and his team want to leave a positive legacy by winning the state championship for the 20th consecutive year.

Though some veteran players desert the team, convinced that their new coach lacks the skills to lead them to victory, others remain committed. They are joined by a troubled but talented newcomer in town, Mitch Akers (Michael Angarano).

Mitch has been brought to Norway by his widowed, workaholic father, Burt (Tom Arnold), who grew up there and once played for the Tigers. Burt believes that his son, who has gotten into some bad habits back home, will benefit from living for a while with grandparents Jacob and Anne (James Gammon and Angela Paton).

As Mitch, an experienced catcher, decides to dedicate himself to helping the Tigers win, Coach Stock becomes increasingly attached to Polly, and tries to convince her of the damage that will be done to Norway's economy and sense of community if its school is forced to close.

Director David Mickey Evans, whose debut film, 1993's "The Sandlot," was also a paean to baseball, clearly has a fondness for the sport that adds grace to his work. So too does his idyllic vision of rural Midwestern life.

In addition to fast-paced sports sequences and lush landscapes, "The Final Season" offers valuable moral insights, especially for teen viewers. As Mitch turns his life around, the story emphasizes the importance of teamwork, family life and respect for others.

Given its family-oriented appeal, however, the film's handful of vulgar expressions seem out of place, and preclude very young viewers.

The film contains occasional crude and some crass language, underage smoking, and drug and underage drinking references. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

Movies have been evaluated by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop's Office for Film and Broadcasting according to artistic merit and moral suitability. The reviews include the USCCB rating, the Motion Picture Association of America rating, and a brief synopsis of the movie.

The classifications are as follows:

• A-I -- general patronage;
• A-II -- adults and adolescents;
• A-III -- adults;
• A-IV**
• L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. L replaces the previous classification, A-IV.
• O -- morally offensive.