The Natural
Seen it?1984 | 137 min | Drama
Saturday SpecialWhy it’s a Saturday Special
It earned strong reviews (82% on Rotten Tomatoes), it drew serious awards attention and it's still drawing plenty of interest. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who loves a strong drama. If you loved The Rookie or Creed III, start here.
- The mood
- Thoughtful and character-driven.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 17 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated PG. Worth a look first if you have very young kids.
An unknown middle-aged batter named Roy Hobbs with a mysterious past appears out of nowhere to take a losing 1930s baseball team to the top of the league.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
82% on Rotten Tomatoes, 61 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
6.9 out of 10
- AwardsStrong
Nominated for 4 Oscars.
- Box office & staying powerSolid
$48 million worldwide on a $28 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 299K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Barry Levinson
- Robert RedfordRoy Hobbs
- Robert DuvallMax Mercy
- Glenn CloseIris Gaines
- Kim BasingerMemo Paris
- Wilford BrimleyPop Fisher
- Barbara HersheyHarriet Bird
- Robert ProskyThe Judge
- Richard FarnsworthRed Blow
- Joe Don BakerThe Whammer
- Michael MadsenBump Bailey