Crystal Hohenthaner

The Plot: Former baseball player Stan Ross, played by Bernie Mac, is trying to get inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame based on his career total of 3000 hits. His dream is shattered when he finds out that, because of a miscalculation, he only has 2,997 hits. As a result tension mounts and sparks fly when Ross decides to come out of retirement to regain his status as Mr. 3000.

If you want an Oscar contender, I don’t recommend Mr. 3000: The movie is a basic repackaging of jokes and fun moments from all sports movies of the past. It has just enough conflict to make a story. And the characters, though likeable, are pretty basic.

If you want something basic, funny and mildly romantic go see Mr. 3000: The story is about a man in an uncommon situation who finds out some new things about himself and has a chance to grow. A few comedic highlights are added to the film by its supporting characters. Several of the teammates are adorably funny and Chris Noth is a fun surprise as the cunning and somewhat slimy Schiembri, the team’s owner. Michael Rispoli also shines as Ross’ best friend Bocca.After Ross rejoins the game a few romantic sparks also fly between him and his long-lost girlfriend, a sports reporter played by the beautiful and sassy Angela Basset.

The bottom line: Mr. 3000 is basically a feel-good romantic-comedy with a splash of sports. It ends happily and even has a scene that choked a tear from me.It’s an average flick and probably worth seeing at least once. People who love Bernie Mac’s style will want to see it more than once.

Three out of five stars