“Only two things come from Oklahoma…”
Sgt. Emil Foley (Lou Gossett Jr.) An Officer and a Gentleman
It’s fitting a day after the football centered TV show Friday Night Lights walked away with two Emmys that the Oklahoma Film & Music office announced Friday Night Lights Director Takes on Oklahoma Produced Feature Film. The movie is called Home Run and will be directed by David Boyd in Tulsa. I happened to be in Tulsa shooting a video project today so that’s why this project is on my radar.
(I rented a tripod today from a fellow who is not only supplying grip equipment for that film, but I met him while he was scouting for another Christmas-themed feature film to be shot in Tulsa. )
According to IMDB Home Run was written by Eric Newman Melanie Macfee, Brian Brightly and Candace Lee. Here’s the logline from IMDB:
A pro ball player with a substance abuse problem is forced into rehab in his hometown, finding new hope when he gets honest about his checkered past, and takes on coaching duties for a misfit Little League team.
Sounds a little like The Bad News Bears (1976), Bad News Bears (2006) and Hard Ball (2001) doesn’t it. Nothing new under the sun folks. Remember the mantra: “Hollywood wants the same thing—only different.” The thing that’s different here appears to be a faith-based angle. The Press release from the Oklahoma Film & TV office says:
Home Run is the story of a pro baseball player, who returns to his hometown where he comes face to face with the pain he tried to ignore, the girl he wanted to forget, and the son he never knew. The film features Celebrate Recovery, an international, faith-based, 12-step program founded out of Saddleback Church in California with a widespread presence in Oklahoma.
Actually, the true story behind movie Hardball (starring Keanu Reeves and Diane Lane) had faith-based roots but was downplayed in the movie. But the climate in the ten years since 2001 has changed in regard to faith-based films. Producers Carol Matthews and Tom Newman have said that the 37% Oklahoma Film Enhancement Rebate played a part in planning to shoot the film in Oklahoma.
Time will tell if Home Run will become a timeless story that joins the Oklahoma centered stories The Outsiders and Oklahoma.
P.S. Speaking of Lou Gossett Jr, he was in Iowa last year shooting a film.
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[...] “Only two things come from Oklahoma…” Sgt. Emil Foley (Lou Gossett Jr.) An Officer and a Gentleman It’s fitting a day after the football center TV show Friday Night Lights walked away with two Emmys that the Oklahoma Film & Music office announced Friday Night Lights Director Takes on Oklahoma Produced Feature Film. The movie is [...] Original Source… [...]
I am from Tulsa Oklahoma. Took a group of 24 men from LifeGate sober living ranch to view the movie. Would suggest this movie to anyone who has ever faced addiction or to those who have loved someone who does.