Not every movie causes an emotional experience for a grown man, but I’m willing to bet you might shed a tear of happiness at the end of The Hill,a new movie releasing in theaters on August 25th, 2023.
The Hill Trailer
I remember as a child watching Remember the Titans and Rudy, and often we watched in school as a reward day or when there was a substitute teacher. They were two sports cult classic movies. People talked about them and the story resonated. I think The Hill could be added to this genre, though its running storyline might not make it eligible for playing in a public school.
The Hill tells the story of Rickey Hill, a young boy, the son of a Baptist preacher, played by Dennis Quaid. Rickey, played by Colin Ford, has a degenerative spinal disease, forcing him to wear braces on his legs as he grows. Rickey has a love for baseball. His father, Pastor James Hill, does not. Though Rickey can’t run well or fast, he loves hitting stones in the field and aspires to swing a bat and hit a ball. The Hill follows Rickey as he pursues his dream, first during a pick-up game of baseball, then in more formalized settings, and his eventual tryout before a major-league scout. The Hill is a movie about facing the obstacles and setbacks in our lives and overcoming them to pursue our dreams and passions.
The Christian Messages In The Hill
Because Rickey’s dad is a preacher, as a viewer, you will become a congregant in the pew listening to Pastor Hill preach. You will hear some great messages relevant for a person of any faith. The role of a pastor will be seen in a new light by viewers, too, as Pastor Hill graciously takes care of a congregant after the Hill family is run out of town. The Hill also will show you a pastor as he breaks down in a desperate moment and cries out to God and how God sends help and direction to him in that moment. And it will show you a pastor with work to do on himself in response to God’s invitation to ongoing conversion.
The wisdom of Pastor Hill is received and lived by his children, as Rickey takes responsibility for what he has done because that’s what his father taught him. The dynamic of being a preacher and father becomes a part of the storyline for The Hill with Pastor Hill’s opposition to Rickey’s dream. This makes the relationship between father and son tenuous and causes a rift among other family members who advocate for Rickey. This theme plays out throughout the entirety of the film.
More Than Just A Baseball Movie
The Hill is more than just a baseball movie. It’s also an unfolding love story. It is a movie about generational relationships among the characters. It is a movie about cooperating with the gifts God has given you and finding the motivation never to stop pursuing that dream God has put in your heart. It is a movie and story that will resonate with many types of viewers. There’s a message for you in The Hill. See it in theaters on August 25th and be inspired by the life of Rickey Hill.
Can a Catholic Watch The Hill?
This movie poses no morally objective content. The theological content of the movie does not conflict with Catholic beliefs.
Fr. Looney’s Rating
9/10- This is a movie I will be re-watching soon!
