SUMMARY
- Rickey Hill discovered his passion for baseball at the age of five and despite facing a degenerative spine disorder, he dreamt of making it to the major leagues.
- Colin Ford played the main character, portraying the older Rickey Hill.
Rickey Hill, a young kid from Texas found his calling when he was just five years old. It was standing on the grandest stage of baseball. The major leagues. Under the colossal stadium lights all the while the crowds chanted his name. And that is why, despite the universe throwing the biggest hurdle in the way of his dream, his degenerative spine disorder, Hill never stopped trying to keep his feet in the ballpark.
One of the few biographical movies that does not flaunt a world-known athlete, ‘The Hill’ directed by Jeff Celentano, describes the challenges the legend had to face in his pursuit of baseball excellence. Being bullied for his leg braces when he was a child, and growing up in a financially rocky household. As well as constant familial discord with his father who was against his child playing the high-stakes game.
Much like a painter’s muse, his journey yearned to unfold as a narrative of beauty. And it certainly did. The Hill is simple and yet a thing of art and has been said to move people to tears. But it wouldn’t have been possible without the cast who embodied the characters as their own.
Now a 27-year-old, Colin Ford took the mantle of the main character and played the older Rickey Hill. The journey of being scouted and playing in the minor league teams has been incredibly flaunted by the actor. The emotional portrayal by Ford when Rickey finds out that his spine is aging prematurely and there is nothing to be done to reverse that was phenomenal. Ford breathed life into the inherent gentle softness of the character who was said to be the best hitter of his time in the minor leagues.
Dennis Quaid took on the role of Rickey Hill’s father
According to televisionstats.com, Jesse Berry, played the young Rickey Hill, in his first film appearance. The kid who played with sticks and stones. Who portrayed the kid who wanted his father to understand him and was the apple of everyone’s eye in his family. The young talent delivered an incredible performance.
Dennis Quaid, in the biographical film The Rookie, himself played a baseball legend. Jim Morris made his MLB debut at the age of 35. Quaid, a wonderful actor has been a part of several great pieces of media, including the Oscar-nominee film, The Right Stuff. As well as in a fun twist, played Mr. Krabs’ grandfather in Spongebob Squarepants.
Quaid, a wonderful actor has an array of experiences playing different characters. And maybe that is why when he played Rickey Hill’s devoted father, it did not seem like he was playing a character at all.
Alongside them, Joelle Carter played Helen Hill, Rickey’s mother. Siena Bjornerud embodied Gracie who is loosely inspired by Sherran, the real Rickey’s former wife. Mason Gillett and Ryan Dinning portrayed young and old Robert Hill, the older brother. All the actors in the film outdid themselves and were the cornerstones of the film.